Expert committee report on Osmania University’s faculty promotions in cold storage

Nearly one year since the former Vice Chancellor Prof T Tirupati Rao Committee submitted its report, highlighting deviations in selecting candidates for promotions, the government is yet to act upon it

Hyderabad: The State government seems to have put the three-member expert committee constituted to inquire into allegations in Osmania University (OU) professors’ promotion, in the cold storage.

Nearly one year since the OU former Vice Chancellor Prof T Tirupati Rao Committee submitted its report, highlighting deviations in selecting candidates for promotions, the government is yet to act upon it.

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The committee constituted by the Higher Education Department to inquire into allegations of not fulfilling criteria by the OU while giving senior professor promotions, pointed out deviations with respect to at least four to five professors, who got promotion as a senior professor.

Meanwhile, in response to a query from OU teachers, the Ministry of Education said two OU professors, including the one in the top positions, who were awarded promotions did not have required articles published in UGC Care List, Scopus or Web of Science journals.

The OU had awarded promotions to 51 professors as senior professors as part of CAS 2021, 2022 and 2023. The issue sprang up after the OU Teachers’ Association (OUTA) flagged at least 10 “ineligible” professors including some in the top positions who were granted promotion.

“Since there has been no action on the committee report, we have decided to approach the High Court,” said Prof B Manohar, president OUTA. The AISF OU president Lenin and secretary Nelli Satya demanded the university withdraw promotions of ineligible candidates besides recovering salaries from them.