The Madras High Court was on Monday shocked to know that Anna University, a premier institution with 13 constituent colleges and three regional campuses, is functioning with just 556 regular teaching staff.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh was taken aback to learn that the university had been recruiting faculty only on a temporary basis since 2011, and as many as 310 faculty were serving the institution on consolidated pay. “It is even more shocking that the teaching faculty were engaged even on an hourly basis. Fortunately, it is informed that this practice has been dispensed with. This is not the manner in which a reputed university should be functioning,” he said.
The judge also learnt from records that the temporary teaching faculty were included in the list of approved cadre strength that is submitted to the AICTE every year to get renewed the approval for conduct of engineering courses.
While disposing of a batch of cases filed by temporary employees, the judge said information obtained under the RTI Act of 2005 showed that 25,680 students were admitted in various departments of the university, its constituent colleges and regional campuses in the academic year 2018-19.
AICTE regulations require engineering colleges to maintain a faculty-student ratio of 1:15 for undergraduate courses and 1:20 for postgraduate courses.
Anna University ought to have had 1,284 faculty members for undergraduate courses and 120 for postgraduate courses. Though the 111th Finance Committee had sanctioned 981 posts, only 556 posts had been filled with regular staff with dismay.
“The above figures give a clear picture with regard to the state of affairs prevailing in the university. The teaching faculty that is available today (556 regularly employed and 310 temporarily employed) is nowhere near the requirement under the AICTE Regulations. It is surprising that students who come out of this university are faring well despite the non-availability of sufficient faculty,” the judge said, adding, “Either the students are extremely bright or the available faculty is performing an extraordinary task by providing with excellent teaching skills. Whatever may be the reason, “The fact remains that the university will have to take immediate steps to fill the vacancies through regular appointments.”
