As many as 2,78,183 certificates have been lying pending to be distributed to the pass-out students of the Utkal and Sambalpur universities.
Replying to a question of Dilip Ray in the Assembly on Thursday, Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahy informed that around 2.5 lakh certificates have been lying pending to be distributed to the students of Utkal University while 28,183 certificates are yet to be disposed off at the Sambalpur University.
However, no certificate is pending in other State Government-aided universities, the Minister added.
Usually, the certificates are distributed to the students after re-evaluation and convocation ceremony at a university. This process is time taking. The certificates carry facsimile signature instead of the original signature of the VC for the fast distribution of the degree certificates in the universities, said the Minister.
As per the data provided by Panigrahy, a total of 1,933 students are pursuing research at the Government-aided universities such as Utkal, Brahmapur, Sambalpur, Ravenshaw, Fakir Mohan and North Odisha universities. However, no student has made registration for the research at Shree Jagannath Sanskrit University, Puri.
While a highest number of 568 students have been enrolled at Brahmapur University as researchers are, Utkal University has 466, North Odisha has 432, Ravenshaw has 189 and Sambalpur University has 185 researchers, respectively. A total of 93 students have been enrolled for research at FM University.