HPU blames slip in ranking to staff crisis

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 15

Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has attributed the slip in ranking released by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for 2018 to a stiff competition with other universities and a shortage of the faculty.

The university has slipped to 171st position as compared to 121st in 2017. Governor Acharya Devvrat, also the Chancellor, had sought explanation from the university authorities.

In its explanation, the university authorities said 49 posts of professor, 22 posts of associate professor and 129 posts of assistant professor were lying vacant, affecting the teaching and research work.

The reply also mentioned that there were no industrial hubs in the vicinity, raising consultancy issues. Since the parameters also included research and patenting, the achievements of the university were not encouraging.

The Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, which has attained 71st position in the 2018 rankings, is the only state university to find a place among 100 top university. However, it has also slipped by 20 places as compared to 2017, when it was ranked 51st.

HPU is the oldest university in the state, set up in 1970. However, it has been a victim of student-teacher politics and interference of the government, particularly in the appointments of staff members. It has been without a regular Vice-Chancellor for the last 14 months.

The university was given ‘A’ grade by the NAAC in 2016.