KANPUR: If you visit the National Sugar Institute (NSI) and find that the teaching faculty is engaged in administration work, do not be surprised. The institute’s authorities have admitted that its academics and research work has been facing approximately 42 per cent shortage of staff for the past many years. Consequently, the present staff of teachers and professors have to perform multiple tasks and are overworked.

Not only the posts of professors, but that of administrative officials including that of chief administrative head, finance officer, senior administrative officer, assistant director official language and welfare and security officer are lying vacant. And, at the same time, the assistant professors and teaching faculty, presently working with the institute, are overburdened with the administrative work as well.

As a result, not only is the teaching of the students getting affected, but several research projects have also been delayed.

The institute’s director has been running from pillar to post and sending proposals to the state government for providing the sugar institute with the required number of staffers.

There have been no regular appointments since 2000 and the last appointment made was of junior technical officer. Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is responsible for filling up the posts. “The regular staff can only be taken through UPSC, which may take time. We can only hire junior staff ourselves. Besides, other hindrances like Sixth Pay Commission and revision of recruitment rules are also responsible for shortage of staff,” claimed Prof SK Mitra, director of the institute.

On how he would tackle the situation, Mitra said: “No one knows what is in store but, as of now, we have adopted the policy of wait and watch.”

Out of 60 posts, only 35 seats have been filled. Out of the 25 posts lying vacant, 14 are of professors and department heads.

“A few months back, a couple of posts of professors were filled, but that was through promotion and not through appointments,” said one of the teachers of NSI. “While we have the required infrastructure, experimental sugar factory and huge farms, there is no one to use it and thus it is affecting the productivity,” he claimed.

The staff crunch can be felt from the fact that the assistant professors are also looking into administration work. “In many cases, one teacher has to attend classes, look into research work and take care of the administrative work as well,” said Dr Jahar Singh, assistant professor who was also working as administrative officer.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com