The situation at Gulbarga University exemplifies a long-standing issue of neglect in Kalyana Karnataka, particularly in Kalaburagi district, by successive state administrations, reports The New Indian Express.
According to the report, the university has grappled with a severe deficiency of staff, both in permanent teaching and non-teaching positions, spanning over a decade. Out of the 248 authorised permanent lecturer posts, 202 remain vacant. Similarly, 34 out of 36 professor posts, 60 out of 67 associate professor posts, and 107 out of 145 assistant professor posts remain vacant.
If the two current professors retire, the three-decade-old university will be devoid of any professors altogether.
As per sources, 13 out of 38 departments, including History, Sociology, MSW, Women Studies, Ambedkar Studies, Visual Arts, Music, Marathi, Sanskrit and MBA, lack permanent teaching staff, states TNIE.
Furthermore, departments like Economics, Applied Electronics, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Material Science, Statistics, Zoology, Law, Kannada, Education, and Physical Education only have one permanent teaching staff member each.
Departments with an adequate number of staff include Mathematics and Physics, each with five members, and Bio-chemistry and Commerce, each with four.
The university is functioning only because of guest lecturers, said senior academic Basavaraj Kumnoor. "We cannot expect quality education from guest lecturers and we cannot fix accountability on them. Because of the severe staff crunch, research activities have also been affected," he added.
Vice-Chancellor Dayanand Agsar reported that there are 118 guest teachers on the main campus, 49 at the PG Centre in Bidar and 15 at the PG Centre in Aland. The university has contacted the higher education department. He further added, "Once we get permission from the government, we will start filling vacant posts.”
Out of the 707 authorised non-teaching posts, 525 are vacant. Sources said though the university has written several letters to the government to fill vacant posts, nothing has been done so far.