SCS College in Puri is facing a shortage of staff. Picture by Sarat Patra

Bhubaneswar, April 8: Large-scale vacancies in the posts of lecturers in government, degree and junior colleges have hit the education system in the state. On the other hand, the government’s move to appoint retired teachers on ad hoc basis has not yielded the desired result.

According to official sources, of 1,818 sanctioned posts in the government degree colleges, 612 posts are lying vacant. Similarly, 279 posts are lying vacant in the junior government colleges having 1,023 sanctioned posts.

In the degree colleges, the highest number of vacancies has been found in the English departments. Of the sanctioned 195 posts, 85 are vacant.

“The large-scale vacancies in English has had a direct impact on the educational standard at the college level,” said a senior official of the higher education department.

In the computer science stream, all 30 sanctioned posts have remained vacant and not a single appointment has been made over the years.

Large-scale vacancies have also been found in the science stream. Of 113 posts in botany, 44 are vacant. In chemistry, of 144 posts, 61 are yet to be filled. Similarly, 25 of 81 posts are vacant in mathematics, 63 posts are still vacant out of 132 posts in physics and 52 posts out of 100 sanctioned posts vacant in zoology.

The arts stream is also facing acute shortage of teaching staff. In Odia, 52 posts are lying vacant of the sanctioned 146 posts. In the departments of history, 25 posts remain vacant. Thirteen posts in education, three in life science, 62 in economics, 10 in logic and philosophy and 14 posts in psychology are vacant.

However, not a single post is vacant in the sociology departments, both at the degree and junior college level. Large-scale vacancies have been found in junior colleges. In the commerce stream, 33 posts out of 73 are lying vacant. The problem is more acute in the arts stream. Out of 44 posts in logic and philosophy, 25 are lying vacant. Eleven out of 15 in statistics, 23 out of 26 posts in Sanskrit, 29 out of 61 in political science are lying vacant.

Higher education minister Badri Narayan Patra said: “Instruction has been issued to the colleges to engage the guest faculty and the retired teachers so that the teaching will not be hampered.”

In the degree colleges, the retired lecturers will be appointed on an ad hoc basis at a consolidated pay of Rs 18,000 a month for Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Nupada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal and Gajapati districts and other scheduled areas. The consolidated remuneration is Rs 15,000 per month for the coastal districts.

As per the rules, the guest faculties engaged in the junior colleges will be paid an honourarium of Rs 200 per class, subject to a maximum ceiling of Rs 3,000 per month. However, official sources said despite this move, no one has turned up for the guest faculty.