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The Utkal University campus in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture |
Bhubaneswar, Jan. 31: Conforming to directions from the State Disability Commission, Utkal University has started a special recruitment drive for persons with disabilities (PWDs) to fill up various teaching posts.
The objective is to clear the backlog of reserved vacancies that have been pending at the university since 1996.
Applications have been invited from eligible candidates for appointment in different post-graduation departments of the university.
Each department has fixed the categories of disabilities for applicants suitable for the post such as blind (B), both limbs affected (BL), one leg affected (OL), one arm affected (OA), partially deaf (PD) and low vision (LV).
In the science stream, there is one vacancy each in the botany (for professor), chemistry (for reader) and geology (for lecturer) departments.
In the humanities stream, there are three vacancies in the psychology department for the posts of professor, reader and lecturer.
The economics and business administration departments have vacancies a single vacant lecturer’s post. The categories of PWDs are different for each department.
“We received a notification from the government asking us to fill up the backlog vacancies, failing which the entire recruitment process would be withheld. We are complying with the notice and have published advertisements to fill up the posts,” said Loknath Sahoo, registrar of Utkal University.
According to clause 39 of the PWD Act, 1995, all government educational institutions and other government-aided educational institutions should reserve not less than three per cent seats for persons with disabilities. In this connection, the University Grants Commission had also issued a circular to all universities to follow this provision in the appointment of lecturers.
Reacting to the recruitment drive, disability rights activist Sruti Mohapatra said: “The university has been very negligent in adhering to the PWD Act.
“But I am happy that it is now complying with the disability commission’s directions and is trying to clear the backlog of 15 years.”
She added that an orthopaedically handicapped person named Satyanarayan Mishra had applied for the post of history lecturer at the university about two years ago but was turned down.
“Three per cent reservation for teachers in educational institutes is mandatory according to law.
“It is our right and their duty,” said Mohapatra.