The resumption of trips to foreign countries by academicians, which was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, has received another setback of sorts with the Odisha Governor directing that his permission be sought before such visits.
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Foreign visits by Vice Chancellors and senior teaching and non-teaching staff were denied due to COVID-19 outbreaks across the globe.
Recently, when a senior professor of a State public university, slated to retire from service by end of June, wanted to go on a trip to the United States, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal put his foot down.
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Such visits were earlier approved by the Vice Chancellors of the respective State public universities. Now, the office of the Governor has directed Vice Chancellors to seek prior permission for proposed trips for official and private purposes.
If Vice Chancellors allow foreign visits, the permission order should indicate the benefit to be derived by the university from such a visit and this is to be sent to the Governor’s office for the information of the Chancellor (the Governor), Saswat Mishra, Principal Secretary to Governor, informed all Vice Chancellors in a letter.
“As foreign visit involves expenditure of huge amount of public money, foreign visit should be allowed only when it is essentially required and is truly in the interest of the students in particular and the university in general,” Mr. Mishra pointed out.
Foreign visits should be avoided if the same work could be done with virtual meetings or conferences or through digital communications, he advised.
“No university employee having less than two years of residual service should be allowed to go on a foreign visit except with the prior written permission of the Chancellor,” Mr. Mishra said.