Khallikote Unitary University to hire 42 guest faculty members amid teacher shortage

Berhampur: Authorities of Khallikote Unitary University (KUU) here will engage 42 more guest faculty members this year to tide over the teacher shortage issue. The higher education department on Thursday approved the university’s recent proposal for the engagement of guest faculty.“After getting the approval letter, we will issue advertisements for applications from aspirants. We are expecting the selection of guest faculty members will be completed before the reopening of the university after Durga Puja holidays,” said Geetanjali Dash, vice-chancellor (in-charge) of KUU, on Friday.She said the guest faculty members would be engaged only for the current academic session as per the govt guidelines. “The problem of teaching in the university would be somewhat solved with the engagement of 42 guest faculty members,” she added.Established on Aug 1, 2021, KUU was upgraded from the 148-year-old Khallikote College. The govt has sanctioned 112 teaching posts, which comprised 16 professors, 32 associate professors and 64 assistant professors, but the university functions without sufficient teachers.At present, classes are managed by 56 teachers. While 36 of them are engaged as guest faculty, the other 20 (1 associate and 19 assistant professors) have been deployed by the govt from erstwhile Khallikote College, sources said.Around 5,500 students are enrolled in post-graduate, undergraduate and self-financing courses at the university. Despite the authorities appointing 42 more guest faculty members, teaching will continue to suffer as the numbers are still short than the sanctioned posts, claimed several students.“Engagement of guest faculty members would not solve the problems of the university. Govt needs to appoint permanent teachers as per the sanctioned strength, including professors and associate professors,” said J K Mohapatra, former VC, Berhampur University. “Research activities in KUU have been affected as there are no permanent teachers,” he said.“Though KUU has received recognition under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956, we are unable to launch PhD programmes due to the absence of regular teaching staff,” said Dash.