ANANTAPUR: The third meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Higher Education Planning Board meeting will be held in Anantapur for two days from Friday. The subject matter for the meeting is Education 4.0 – Roadmap for New Era of Higher Education.
The meeting has gained attention of all sections, particularly in view of all universities in AP facing a crunch of expert faculty. No recruitments of faculty have been there despite a strongly-worded letter by University Grants Commission (UGC) to vice-chancellors of all state and central universities in the state. According to an estimate, nearly 3,000 teaching positions are lying vacant in 14 universities of AP.
Postdoctoral research fellows and NET, SLET-qualified candidates are demanding that the state government fill all vacant teaching positions. They want revocation of the earlier notification because the recruitment process initiated as per it by the earlier government is stuck in court due to lacunae in the notification.
Academic expert Dr. Suresh Babu observed: “Higher education in AP has no vision regarding demand for courses from mature learners and from students looking to enhance their employability and develop entrepreneurial skills. But 38 percent of departments have been closed in many universities. Nearly 60 percent of departments are running with just one or two faculty members who are nearing superannuation,” he pointed out.
Dr. Suresh underlined that the new education policy proposes several reforms to empower teachers and bring in the brightest minds to the teaching profession. However, the reality is that there is serious faculty crunch in all state and central universities.
When intelligent, talented and deserving candidates do not get suitable jobs in the country, they prefer to go abroad and seek jobs. Local varsities are thus deprived of good talent and quantitative expansion, another expert stated.
It is hoped the AP Higher Education Planning Board will look into these aspects during its meeting and come up with solutions.
