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You have been a teacher for more than three decades, but have now turned a full-time administrator. How do you view the transition?

The switchover has been very natural for me as I had always been interested to jump into the civil services fold. I had been a Chanakya for 35 years. And I think time had come for a role reversal, for me to become a Chandragupta because the Chandraguptas had not been performing.

Barely five months before you assumed your present responsibility, you were removed from the post of regional director of higher education, Sambalpur. Why?

I was not shunted out. I had applied for a transfer to Bhubaneswar because my wife was going to retire on March 31. At that time, I was serving as the principal of GM Autonomous College, Sambalpur, with additional duty of regional director without any sub-ordinate officers. So, I had written to the higher education principal secretary to relieve me from the duty as it was an additional burden.

There are allegations that you allowed a college in western Odisha to start science stream in exchange for Rs 50,000. How would you respond to this?

This is a fabricated allegation. The recommendation made by me in the capacity of the Sambalpur regional director after thorough inspection was not ultimate. A high power committee, chaired by the higher education principal secretary, screened it. Had my suggestion been wrong or ill-founded, it would have been rejected. So, it was not my personal whim. It was adequately backed by the collective wisdom of the committee.

What about allegations that you used vehicles of residential colleges for personal travel?

I have never taken the help of any private institution, be it for a vehicle or any other thing, for personal use. I always hired taxis from a travel agency with which the Sambalpur regional directorate had signed a contract. Since I come from a humble background and represent the voice of the poor and the marginalised, I am being targeted. There are some people, who are jealous of my achievements and have tried to tarnish my image by making false allegations.

You believe that a teacher’s job is better than a bureaucrat’s. But these days, we see that college lecturers are at the mercy of babus for fulfilment of their demands like salary revision…

No teacher is ever at anyone’s mercy. They are honoured and appreciated. The state government is very supportive of the teaching community. If they are not getting their salaries and holding demonstrations, it does not mean that the fault lies with the administration. Some teachers are also responsible. It is a fact that many persons, who did not fulfil the minimum eligibility norms, have been appointed as teachers. Their demand for higher salaries is not justified.

It is a fact that our state lacks qualified teachers. What is being done to address the issue?

We are in the process of revamping the Staff Selection Board through which the staff crunch in private colleges can be addressed. We are taking steps to appoint 874 ad hoc teachers. The Odisha Public Service Commission has also advertised for appointment of junior and degree college lecturers, which has not been done in most colleges for the past two decades.

Do you think teachers are well paid?

Yes, but I feel the duties they are discharging are not commensurate with the hefty pay that they are getting. I understand they are assigned non-academic works, but that can't be an excuse to neglect a major domain of their work profile. I want to bring an attitudinal change in them.

Do you feel the standard of higher education in Odisha is satisfactory?

No, because I don’t find another Gangadhar Mishra among the present day scholars. I was fortunate to be groomed by excellent mentors. But most of my teacher friends have failed their own teachers.

What is your opinion on the privatisation of higher education in the state?

Because of certain funds constraints, the state has not been able to increase the number of government colleges. There are six to seven districts where there is not a single government college. To fill up the vacuum, we have to take the help of private players.

How do you plan to revamp this sector?

I have only four months now before I retire. My mission is to make this directorate a vibrant and responsive organisation.

You have put up a quote outside your office —Respect all, trust a few, harm none. Do you not trust everyone in your office surroundings?

Yes, I am very careful while dealing with people. But, I give ample opportunity to everybody to justify their credentials.