Ranchi, Nov 26 (IANS): The universities in Jharkhand are in a sorry state of affairs due to shortage of staff, disorder, troubles and alleged corruption.
There has been no appointment of employees in universities for three decades. Some employees have been appointed permanently on compassionate grounds and the work is being carried out relying on contractual appointments.
More than four lakh students, who have passed graduation and post-graduation examinations, are yet to get their degrees due to which convocation ceremonies could not be organised. At least 500 students who have passed JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) are not getting research directors. Examinations and results are not being declared on time.
In four government universities of the state -- Hazaribagh-based Vinoba Bhave University, Dumka-based Sido Kanho Murmu, Palamu-based Nilambar Pitambar University and Chaibasa-based Kolhan University -- the posts of Vice Chancellors have been lying vacant for the last five months.
However, no one can answer when the process for appointment to these posts, which started four months ago, will be completed.
Raj Bhavan had invited applications to fill these posts and candidates were also interviewed. In the meanwhile, a candidate raised questions on the process and challenged it in the court. Though the court has not put a stay on appointments, official sources in Raj Bhavan said the process of appointments will be taken forward only after the court's decision.
The Governor had recently removed the Vice Chancellor of Dhanbad-based Binod Bihari Mahato Koylanchal University (BBMKU) from the post on charges of corruption.
In the universities of Jharkhand, after the Vice Chancellor, second in command is Pro Vice Chancellor. In four of the eight universities, Ranchi University, Vinoba Bhave University, Nilambar-Pitamber University and Kolhan University, this post has been lying vacant for the last four-five months.
In six universities, around 12 posts of Registrar and Assistant Registrars are lying vacant. Finance Officer has a very important role in the financial system of universities, but this post is also lying vacant in seven universities. However, applications have been invited for appointment to many of these posts by recently publishing advertisements.
Ranchi-based Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee University (DSPMU), Dhanbad-based Binod Bihari Mahato Koylanchal University (BBMKU) and Palamu-based Nilambar Pitambar University (NPU) Palamu have 21-22 postgraduate (PG) departments, but no professors in any subject.
In these three universities, the responsibility of heading the departments is performed by either associate professors or assistant professors. Ranchi-based famous educational institution Ranchi College was made a university in the year 2017 and got the new name Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee University. Even after six years, new permanent teachers have not been appointed here. The old teachers have retired and now there is not even a single professor level teacher here.
The state universities have a total of 62 constituent colleges, of which 90 per cent do not have a Principal. Under the makeshift system, colleges are being run by the principal in-charge. There are 18 constituent colleges under Ranchi University, but only three have permanent principals.
In the last session of the Assembly, the state government, in response to a question by CPI(ML) MLA Vinod Singh, had admitted that about 40 per cent of the posts of teachers in the universities of the state are vacant.
Responding on behalf of the government, Minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur had said that the proposal for reservation roster clearance for appointment to the vacant posts of teachers has been sent to the Personnel Department and the appointment process will be started soon.
In the past 23 years after the formation of the state, vacancies for the appointment of university teachers were announced only twice -- in the year 2008 and 2018.
Dr. Shailesh Chandra Sharma, a retired teacher from Vinoba Bhave University of the state, said the government does not have a clear policy regarding the procedures under which teachers will be appointed in the colleges and universities of the state. Under present circumstances, there is no possibility of teachers' appointment in the next year or two.
More than 500 people who have passed JRF are not getting research directors in the state universities due to shortage of permanent teachers in the state universities. Even after clearing NET, it is not easy to do a PhD in this state.