The Utkal University of Culture has not received any UGC support for lack of own land and building and dearth of adequate teaching and nonteaching staffs, admitted Culture Minister Ashok Panda in the State Assembly on Wednesday.
The Minister stated this in response to a question of Congress member Naba Kishore Das, who wanted to know why the university, established in 1999, was yet to get status under Section 12 of the University Grant Commission (UGC), a pre-requirement for availing Central fund support.
However, the Minister informed that to avail UGC Section 12 (b) status, steps are afoot to complete construction of required number of rooms at Madanpur and transfer of the university premises to there soon. Besides, the State Government has created 19 teaching and 27 nonteaching posts and taking steps for creation of rest required numbers of teaching and nonteaching posts. Once the posts are filled up, the UGC authorities would be requested to provide grants to the university, the Minister said.
The Minister said a total of 42 teaching and nonteaching posts are lying vacant in five colleges affiliated to the university soon.