Utkal University campus in Bhubaneswar. File picture

Bhubaneswar, May 23: Utkal University will engage its students to study the stress levels of its employees.

The varsity has taken this move following reports of growing discontentment among its staff.

Last October, about 100 fourth-grade employees of the university had gone on a 10-day strike demanding regularisation of jobs and higher pay. Now, the varsity authorities have now decided to rope in four students from personnel management and industrial relations (PMIR) department for the study.

“The students would survey about 120 non-teaching employees on certain parameters, reflecting their aspirations, problems and major sources of stress so that the authorities can take steps to motivate them,” said head of Utkal’s PMIR department Santosh Kumar Tripathy.

The students who would conduct the study would be shortlisted once a formal proposal was made before the university vice-chancellor and PG Council chairman.

Manpower shortage had been plaguing the university for long, said PMIR student and president of the university students’ union Tanmaya Swain.

“Increasing workload and responsibilities among staff members has led to a corresponding increase in their stress and anxiety levels. The survey can help address the sources of stress,” he said.

Registrar in-charge D.N. Jena said the process of recruiting teaching and non-teaching staff would be initiated once the university got approval from the state government.