Telangana clears only 429 assistant professor posts against 1,601 vacancies

Despite 1,601 vacancies for assistant professors across 12 State universities, the Telangana government has approved recruitment for only 429 posts in the first phase, covering about 26 per cent of the vacancies.

Hyderabad: Despite 1,601 vacancies for assistant professors across 12 State universities, the Telangana Congress government approved recruitment for only 26 per cent of the vacant posts.

In a GO Ms No. 142 released on Sunday, the State government permitted direct recruitment to 429 assistant professor posts in State universities under the Higher Education department in the first phase.

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Among the universities, Osmania University (OU) accounts for the largest share, with 252 posts approved for recruitment. Satavahana University and Kakatiya University have been allocated 49 posts each, followed by Palamuru University with 45.

Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University and Telugu University have been permitted to recruit 16 assistant professors each. Telangana University has received approval for only two posts.

While OU has 54 departments, the government approved recruitment in only 48 of them. Ten departments have been allocated just one post each despite having a large number of vacancies.

In Kakatiya University, nine departments will recruit only one assistant professor each. Telangana University faces a similar shortfall in recruitment. Despite having 41 vacancies, it has been permitted to recruit only two assistant professors.

Overall, the 12 State universities have 2,125 teaching posts vacant, including those of professors, associate professors and assistant professors. This shortage of regular faculty has affected academic activities in several institutions.

Given the dearth of regular faculty, several OU departments, including Archaeology, French and German, are being run only by academic consultants, who are employed on a contractual basis. Departments such as Journalism, Sanskrit, Philosophy, Arabic, Islamic Studies and Kannada are also struggling to operate.

Further, Suravaram Pratapa Reddy Telugu University, which was founded to preserve, develop, and propagate the Telugu language, literature, culture, and history, has no regular faculty in its Telugu department.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) rules prescribe a teacher cadre ratio of 1:3:6 for professors, associate professors and assistant professors, respectively. However, the ratio is not being maintained in almost all universities due to retirements and the absence of fresh recruitment for several years.