Odisha govt to amend University Act: Suraj

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to bring an amendment in the Odisha University (Amendment) Act 2020 brought by the previous BJD government, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told the State Assembly on Friday.

While replying to a question of BJD legislator Ganeswar Behera, the minister said, “As you are seeking rectification in the the Act enacted by the BJD government, we will definitely do it.”Suraj saidUnion Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had written a letter to the Odisha government in this regard.

On the appointment of vicechancellors in public universities at Jeypore and Baripada, the minister said the institutions are functioning under the supervision of officers on special duty.Once the Odisha University Act will be amended, the issues of appointment of VC along with teaching and non-teaching staff will be resolved, he said.

The previous BJD government had enacted the Odisha University (Amendment) Act bringing many extensive amendments to the original Act of 1989.The provisions contained in the prevailing Act regarding selection of chancellors and recruitment of teaching staff in universities are deviating from the regulations of UGC, the minister said.

Besides, the intellectual mass and several MLAs have also raised questions on the nomination of a representative of Higher Education Secretary in the Syndicate of the universities claiming that it diluted the autonomy of the public universities, he said.

Out of 30 districts of Odisha, there is no government degree college in Jharsuguda, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts. Commenting on this issue, Suraj said,

“I assure you all that we will set up colleges in these districts which the previous BJD government was not able to do during its 25 years of rule.”

In a written reply to the House, the Higher Education Minister informed that the State government is not going to make any budgetary provision from the current financial year for ‘Nutana Unnata Abhilasha, Odisha’ (NUA-O) scholarship scheme for college students, which was launched by the previous BJD government.

The government is taking steps to roll out a new scheme, “Financial Assistance to UG & PG Students” from this year. The department is preparing the guidelines of the scheme, he said.