Teachers at Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) have written to their officiating vice-chancellor, Subhro Kamal Mukherjee, urging him to fill vacant teaching posts at the earliest “as the newly introduced four-year undergraduate programme requires a sufficient number of teachers for its smooth functioning”.
The university has 124 teachers against the sanctioned strength of 199.
The 75 vacant posts could not be filled as the governor, who is chancellor of RBU
and other state-aided universities, has not named his nominee for the selection
committee which screens teaching job aspirants, the teachers have alleged.
The letter, which was signed by Debabrata Das, secretary of the RBU Teachers’ Association, and sent to the VC last month, says: “Take necessary steps for recruiting new teachers in the vacant teaching posts at the earliest as the newly introduced four-year undergraduate programme requires a sufficient number of teachers for its smooth functioning.”
On Tuesday, Das said: “We want the vacancies to be filled at the earliest so the four-year undergraduate programme can run efficiently. The new programme has several new features. If we don’t get an adequate number of teachers, the syllabuses will remain incomplete. At a time when the course size has become voluminous, the teaching strength has become inadequate.”
“That is why we have approached the vice-chancellor to request him to contact the chancellor and plead with him to send his nominee for the selection committee.”
Governor C.V. Ananda Bose had in July entrusted Mukherjee, a former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, with performing the duties of vice-chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University, allegedly bypassing the state government.
Mukherjee told The Telegraph on Tuesday: “We have drawn up a list of vacant posts and are taking all steps so the positions can be filled up. We have sought the chancellor’s nominee. If required, we will again ask for the chancellor’s nominee.”