The education departm- ent’s plan to have new teachers in universities before the next academic session could hit a roadblock owing to elections.

Some varsities have delayed submitting the fresh list of vacant posts because of election duty of faculty.

According to the education department sources, only three universities — Veer Kuer Singh University (Ara), Lalit Narayan Mithila University (LNMU), Darbhanga, and BR Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur — have submitted the list of vacant posts of teachers (assistant professors) to the state education department after the rationalisation process was carried out in their universities.

Patna University and Magadh University (Bodhgaya) among other varsities are yet to submit the list of teachers, delaying the recruitment process.

Rationalisation of teachers at universities means reducing the sanctioned posts of teachers in unpopular courses (such as Arabic and Sanskrit) and increasing the faculty strength in popular courses (such as science subjects) simultaneously.

Special secretary (education) H.R. Srinivasa said: “As many universities are yet to submit the list of vacant posts (assistant professors), in all likelihood, the appointment of teachers in universities would be delayed. In such a situation, we would face difficulties in recruiting teachers before the next academic session.”

Sources said many universities failed to submit the fresh list of teachers because its teachers were engaged in the election duty. In such a situation, the list would be prepared after the election.

An official at Patna University said: “As many teachers are engaged in election duty, the list would be prepared after the polls.”

Sources said once all the universities submit the list of vacant posts (assistant professors), the education department would forward it to the Bihar Public Service Commission. The state service commission would then issue an advertisement.

The appointment of teachers would be done following the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, according to which a PhD or clearing National Eligibility Test is mandatory for the appointment of teachers.