Fill 3,000 vacant faculty posts in varsities, teachers urge govt

Hyderabad: With several state universities grappling with a faculty shortage, members of the Telangana Schools and Technical Colleges Employees Association on Friday urged the govt to fill all vacant posts immediately.In a letter to the special chief secretary of education, the association questioned the proposed recruitment of 500 faculty members when around 3,000 posts remain vacant in state universities.“The shortage was adversely affecting the quality of education, academic activities, research and students’ futures. Recruiting only 500 faculty members would leave a substantial number of vacancies unfilled and further aggravate the problems facing higher education,” the letter added.The association also pointed out that many universities depended on contractual faculty members to manage their academic responsibilities. It urged the govt to prioritise the recruitment of qualified, regular faculty members to reduce this dependence.“The govt must review contractual appointments and discontinue those that are no longer required, in accordance with applicable rules and due process, while ensuring that essential academic activities are not disrupted,” said A Santhosh Kumar, president of the association.Meanwhile, contract assistant professors working at various universities have been demanding regularisation of their services and the implementation of UGC 7th Pay Commission pay scales.“About 1,200 contract faculty members have been working in state universities for the past three decades. The govt must first absorb these faculty members before undertaking fresh recruitment. We also demand equal pay for equal work and retirement benefits for contract faculty,” said A Parshuram, president of the University Teachers Association.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Hyderabad | Silver Rate in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad | Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Petrol Price in Hyderabad | Diesel Price in Hyderabad | CNG Price in Hyderabad | LPG Price in HyderabadStay updated with the latest Hyderabad news. Download the TOI App.