Agency points to several issues and failure to follow policy, procedures
Hyderabad: Osmania University, a flagship higher education institution in Telangana, has been beset with problems, that included recruitment of unqualified teachers. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, in its latest report on OU’s functioning, covering the years 2017 to 2023, declared that “Osmania University, once held in high regard for its educational eminence, currently faces a series of challenges that have significantly impacted its reputation.”
The CAG, which devoted 42 of its 295-page ‘Compliance Audit -Civil & Commercial’, pointed to several issues and failure to follow policy and procedures. OU’s place in the National Institutional Ranking Framework has fallen from 38 in 2017 to 64 in 2023m as well as from 23 to 36 in the overall university ranking.
As of 2025, the NIRF ranking had placed OU at 30, but this year was not part of the CAG audit report placed by the state government in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
According to the CAG, the university attempted to pass off its poor ranking in the period of the audit to retirement of faculty, that Covid-19 pandemic affected the ranking, that faculty strength, research funding, faculty student ratio were better in other universities, and that NIRF collected data from third party sources and that the University did not have information on its research database, and peer reviewed publications.
Despite these stands taken by OU, the CAG said the university’s responses were not tenable as faculty retirements are known in advance and recruitments should have been planned accordingly, and that OU needed to do more work on improving faculty strength, research funding, faculty-student ratio, and peer perception.
With respect to the excuse that Covid-19 pandemic impacted its performance, the CAG said the “pandemic affected pan India and NIRF data collection method is uniform for all institutions.”
The CAG said the objectives of its audit were to assess whether OU planned and executed its academic activities effectively, whether creation and development of human resources and infrastructure facilities were adequate and as per norms to impart quality education, and if the financial management and use of resources were efficient and effective.
However the CAG said the “extent of support envisaged from the Osmania University for the conduct of the Detailed Compliance Audit was not forthcoming as the University remained unresponsive on several issues pointed out by Audit despite repeated reminders.
Poor marks to OU from CAG
Findings:
Except in student enrolment, OU did not achieve its Vision Document goals.
Government’s response received in Feb. 2024, were not specific to issues pointed out in audit.
Doubtful if OU’s Executive Council adhered to proper processes when making decisions.
OU did not furnish information on research excellence.
Not all OU campuses/colleges have anti-ragging cells/student grievance redressal committees, government silent on these.
Shortage of teaching staff rose from 60% in 2017 to 69% in 2022.
Appointment of parti-time teachers to maintain faculty-student ratio against NIRF rules.
10% of teachers appointed in audit period did not have required PhD/ NET/ SET qualifications.
