Is Osmania University in Telangana facing its worst ever staff crisis at this point in time? 

Telangana's top educational institution Osmania University appears to be facing a severe staff crunch, according to a report in The New Indian Express. Sources have revealed that the institution mostly depends on contractual faculty and Osmania University is being operated with only 60 per cent of staff, while the remaining staff working in the institutions are recruited on an outsourcing basis. The rest of the posts have been lying vacant for years. 

After the retirement of hundreds of faculty members over the last several years, only 390 regular faculty members - including professors, associate professors and assistant professors - remained in the university among 1,267 sanctioned posts. About 393 faculty members were hired on an outsourcing or contractual basis, rest of the vacancies are looking for new recruitment. 

According to the Vice-Chancellor of the University, faculty on a contract or outsourcing basis are being hired as per the need. Around 30,000 students were enrolled in various PG courses in Osmania University this year including its constituent colleges. 

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The teacher-student ratio as per the UGC guidelines in postgraduate courses should be 1/15, but the ratio is unmatched due to lack of recruitment after the formation of the state, say sources. The university and its constituent colleges like Nizam, Women's College, Koti, Secunderabad PG College and Saifabad PG College have no proper subjects teachers. Insufficient faculty in these institutions had worried students about the quality of education. 

Replying to Express, a member of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Professor E Suresh Kumar said, "Lack of recruitment has hit the education system badly and the state government should take it as a responsibility to ensure quality in higher education and recruit sufficient staff for the quality of education to be maintained." 

According to the Registrar of Osmania University, things will look up soon. "A proposal for the recruitment of 400 facilty in the university has been approved but we are waiting for the instructions of the government. All the preparations for new recruitment have been done."