Bhubaneswar, Jan. 21: The post of the vice-chancellor of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology has been lying vacant for the last one month causing serious problem in the varsity’s day-to-day administration.

Though the chancellor of the university and governor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare had interviewed the short-listed candidates last month, no announcement has been made on it so far.

“The number of files is piling up with every passing day. The inordinate delay in selection process has affected the works of the OUAT. We are only sending very urgent files to the government for approval,” said a senior varsity official.

After D.P. Ray retired from the VC’s post on December 17, the principal secretary of Odisha government’s agriculture department R.L. Jamuda is officiating as the varsity’s vice-chancellor in a stopgap arrangement.

After Ray quit the office following a hue and cry over his one-month extension, Bhandare interviewed nine candidates short-listed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Icar) and the Odisha government.

The Icar had sent its list considering the eligibility and according to its norms, which were different from the UGC guidelines.

Of the nine candidates interviewed, while three were from outside, six were from the OUAT itself. Those interviewed were — S.S. Nanda, Dibakar Nayak, Manoranjan Kar, Ashutosh Samanatray, Bhudadeb Mishra, R.N. Senapati, R.K. Panda, N.K. Dhal and P.K. Jena.

Senapati is a retired IAS officer, while Jena is an Odisha cadre officer presently on a deputation to the Icar.

Officials in the chancellor’s office, however, said: “Whenever the chancellor desires, the name of the candidate will be announced.”