In a significant ruling, the Orissa High Court on Wednesday quashed an impugned recruitment advertisement of the Ravenshaw University and directed the university authorities to make a fresh advertisement within four weeks and complete the recruitment process in next four weeks.
A Division Bench of Justices Indrajit Mahanti and DP Choudhury adjudicating a batch of writ petitions observed that the June 2014 faculty recruitment advertisement was made in violation of UGC norms. The advertisement sought applications from eligible candidates for filling up 114 posts of lecturers, assistant professors and professors.
It may be mentioned that ever since the famous Ravenshaw College was converted into a university in 2006, it has been suffering from acute shortage of teaching faculties. The State Government in 2006 had sanctioned 153 teaching posts to meet the academic requirement of around 6,000 students.
But the university authorities managed to recruit only 126 faculties from the sanctioned strength by 2012 and subsequently, the Government sanctioned another 114 posts of teachers in 2014. Although the recruitment process had begun after an advertisement was made to this effect in June 2014, the process was challenged in the High Court alleging gross irregularities in the process.