Recruitment put on hold in Sirsa, Jind universities

Rohtak/Sirsa

In a surprising turn of events, the state government has put the recruitment process for both teaching and non-teaching positions at Ch Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa, and Ch Ranbir Singh University (CRSU), Jind, on immediate hold until further orders.

The directives came just a week after eight state universities, including CDLU, were allowed to fill vacant positions according to the standard operating procedure.

“The abrupt suspension of recruitment has left the authorities at both universities perplexed, particularly at CDLU, where the process to appoint new staff was about to begin. This pause comes at a time when both universities are grappling with shortage of regular teaching and non-teaching staff,” said sources.

As per information, 76 of 143 government-sanctioned teaching posts are vacant at CDLU, forcing the authorities to hire 62 contractual professors and 97 part-time teachers to cope with the shortage.

The development has also left students disappointed, as they have been demanding permanent staff for long.

Ravinder Saroha, president of Dr Ambedkar Student Council of Haryana, Sirsa, said the shortage of permanent faculty had affected the quality of education, and students had repeatedly raised concerns about irregular classes and academic disruptions.

“Moreover, the government's contradictory decisions have sparked concerns over the future of higher education at CDLU,” he added.

An official at CDLU said on anonymity that the abrupt suspension of recruitment had also put administrative planning on hold. “With a significant number of vacancies, students are left wondering when they will get permanent teachers to ensure consistent learning. The government should review its decision and allow CDLU to fill posts,” he said.

Dr Rajesh Bansal, Registrar, CDLU, confirmed the government’s directive for putting recruitment on hold.

Prof Kuldeep Nara, president, Teachers’ Association at Ch Ranbir Singh University, Jind, said the directive had come as a shock to everyone. “A majority of sanctioned posts at the university are vacant. Teachers have been hired on a contractual and part-time basis to manage academic responsibilities. Filling vacant positions is crucial for the benefit of students,” he said.