Patna University to hire guest teachers soon

PATNA: With a view to ensuring regular academic activities in colleges and postgraduate departments, Patna University (PU) is set to appoint as many as 114 guest faculties in different subjects next month on temporary basis against vacant sanctioned posts. They would be paid honorarium at the rates prescribed by the state government.

PU vice-chancellor Rash Bihari Prasad Singh told this newspaper on Sunday that panels of candidates selected in all the subjects, except botany, zoology and law, have already been prepared on the basis of interview and academic career. Interview of candidates in the remaining three subjects would be held soon.

However, necessary permission of the state election commission would be sought before issuing the notification of these appointments as the model code of conduct is already in vogue, said the VC.

Singh said these appointments would be made for a period of six months or till the regular appointment is made by the Bihar State University Service Commission. Only candidates who were either NET qualified or PhD degree holders as per UGC guidelines 2009 had applied for appointment. The minimum and maximum age of the applicants were 23 and 55 years respectively on September 30 last year. The reservation roster was followed in all these appointments, he said.

The subject-wise vacancies are Hindi (6), Sanskrit (2), psychology (5), ancient Indian history and archaeology (3), political science (3), English (8), philosophy (3), history (8), geography (2), Urdu (1), economics (6), personnel management and industrial relations (1), sociology (4), Bengali (2), home science (1), education (1), physics (17), chemistry (10), botany (6), zoology (3), geology (4), mathematics (7), statistics (5), rural studies (1) and biochemistry (1).

Some other universities, including Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur, B N Mandal, Jayaprakash and L N Mithila universities, have already appointed guest faculties against vacant posts in the light of the chancellor’s directives. But, Magadh, Veer Kunwar Singh, BRA Bihar, Patliputra and Munger universities are yet to make these appointments.

At the last meeting of the vice-chancellors held at Raj Bhavan on March 14, governor-cum-chancellor Lalji Tandon had directed the universities to appoint guest faculties through prescribed procedures at the earliest so that academic activities are not hampered owing to the lack of teachers.