Sambalpur: OSOU’s NAAC Application is for name only, Depends on 28 Retired Professors
Sambalpur: There is a conspiracy to close the Odisha State Open University in Sambalpur. This open university is about to close. The situation has worsened due to government negligence and the lack of sincerity of officials. Now the government is making arrangements to raise the prestige of the university. The situation is such that various undergraduate and postgraduate courses may be closed permanently.
OSOU was established in Sambalpur in 2015. It was temporarily started with a diploma course in the GMU campus. From 2017, undergraduate and postgraduate courses at OSOU were approved for 5 years. After that, 11 undergraduate courses and 14 postgraduate courses were taught. However, the university could not apply for NAAC status in time as teaching and non-teaching posts were not created till 2022. UGC has not allowed enrollment in 25 undergraduate and postgraduate courses this year due to non-NAC recognition. It has been learned that after the permission was denied, the university authorities made a late application online for the NAAC team.
According to the information received, the chancellor of the university has repeatedly requested the state government to create the posts of teachers. In the last April meeting, a decision was also taken for teachers. But teachers are not created. The government kept rolling the time by saying it would be these days. Meanwhile, the deadline for applying for the application was running out. Meanwhile, it has been created for the already working teachers that many teachers have left on their own or they are alleged to have been dismissed citing various reasons. On the other hand, 28 retired professors were recruited on a permanent basis and applied for NAAC status. That too has been done too late to hide the guilt. 64 teaching posts are required for 25 undergraduate and postgraduate courses to get NAAC status.
In that place, it was reported that the 28 retired professor was seen and applied. How many courses will the NAAC team allow? If there are less than half of the required teachers, will the NAAC team allow it? According to the findings, the NAAC team considered the 28 professors on an appointment basis, but could only approve 9 out of 25 courses. The remaining 16 courses are feared to be closed forever. Meanwhile, the chancellor of the university has not opened his mouth on this issue. It has been a few days since he went on vacation and he did not pick up the phone even when called. Therefore, questions have arisen regarding the role of the university authorities and the state government.
