After a gap of almost one- and-a-half decades, a NAAC team headed by Prof VS Prasad, former VC of BR Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad, visited the Sambalpur University for an assessment.
The eight-member team from different parts of the country held a discussion with the Sambalpur University VC Prof Chitta Ranjan Tripathy. Post graduate (PG) council chairman Prof Biswajit Satapathy also narrated the academic activities in the university.
The team members visited the departments of Odia, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Science in the first half and discussed with both students and the teachers. They also visited the laboratory of the concerned departments and expressed satisfaction, sources from the university said.
But things were unpleasant during the meeting of the NAAC team with the principals of few selected affiliated colleges of the university where the principals expressed their utter dissatisfaction over the activities of the university. They also narrated the harassment they face from the staff. But the university authorities denied such allegations.
The NAAC team also discussed about the CBCS (choice based credit system) to be introduced this year. However, the principals present supported the system that would again begin semester system in the colleges. When the NAAC team asked about the appointment of teaching staff in the colleges, the principals said that the university has no role in the appointment process.
However, the principal of the Jharsuguda Women’s College narrated the activities in her college including harvesting of rain water, garbage recycling, personal counseling to the students under the best practice activity of college that was well appreciated by the team. When the question of books for the students under CBC system came, the NAAC team directed the university authorities that in no case students should suffer due to lack of books.
The NAAC team also made direct interaction with the students and research fellows and came to know about the facilities available to them.
The university authorities are hopeful of good ranking by the NAAC team that will remain here for four days and submit their report.