A State-level consultative workshop on ‘State Higher Education Policy’ was held at Odisha State Higher Education Council (OSHEC) here last week by the OSHEC to invite suggestions from students’ organisations.
Dr SP Adhikary, who presided over the workshop, appealed for a collective wisdom to formulate a policy for higher education in the State to be catalyst for development and prosperity. OSHEC Administrative Officer Dr Amiya Mohanty emphasised the role of students’ organisations to ensure equity, access, quality and excellence in higher education. Representatives of students’ organisations such as AIDSO, SFI, BCJD and ABVP participated in the workshop.
Prominent among the various suggestions which were unanimously accepted were selection of lecturers in colleges and universities through a rigorous competitive written test and interview and transfer of the task of recruitment of teaching posts of all state universities to the OPSC. Tanmaya Swain, who represented the BCJD, pressed for various constructive measures such as a State Fellowship for all research scholars, vice-chancellors’ grievance cells and a legal committee for removing the hurdles in various recruitments.
Subhas Nayak, who represented the AIDSO, pressed for discontinuation of the ad-hoc, contractual and guest faculty system in colleges and universities. These suggestions were also unanimously passed.
Research scholar of Utkal University Abhisek Upadhyay, who coordinated the submissions of the students’ organisations, welcomed their effort as it would pave the way for emergence of quality in higher education.