Bhubaneswar: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, who is also chancellor of state universities, has allowed in-charge vice-chancellors or VCs on extension to undertake statutory activities, including the initial process of faculty recruitment and VC selection.

In a notification issued recently — accessed by TOI — the office of the chancellor has given power to in-charge VCs and VCs on extension to conduct restructuring and reservation finalisation, issuing advertisements for the recruitment of faculty, formation of selection committees, scrutiny of documents, and formation of authorities including the syndicate, senate, academic council and finance committee. They are also responsible for nominating members for the VC selection committee.

The notification stated the arrangement is a one-time measure, in the exercise of the chancellor’s powers conferred by sub-section (9) of Section 5 of the Odisha Universities Act, 1989. The sub-section states, “The chancellor shall be competent to issue directions or instructions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act and statutes on any matter connected with a university when any authority or vice-chancellor fails to act in accordance with the provisions of this Act, statutes or the regulations.”

A higher education department official said there was confusion regarding the commencement of faculty recruitment process due to lack of permanent VCs. “Permanent VCs should start the process of faculty recruitment, but now the chancellor has made the process easy. The in-charge VCs can start the process,” he added.

According to the Odisha Universities Amendment Act, 2024, a selection committee will be formed by following UGC guidelines to recruit faculty members . The committee will be chaired by the VC of the university or his/her nominee.

The committee will include an academic not below the rank of professor nominated by the chancellor. It will have three subject experts selected by the VC from a panel of names recommended by the syndicate. Others will include the dean of faculty or head of the department, along with an academic from ST/SC/OBC/women/minority/PWD category as per the candidate present, to be nominated by the VC. Four members shall constitute a quorum, in which two subject expert members and one academic nominated by the chancellor are a must.