Anna University’s Syndicate has decided to appoint retired professors to teach students. The University has not been able to appoint faculty to vacant posts pending petitions in the court for over two years.
The University’s Annual Quality Assurance Report 2017-18 has listed 193 vacancies and no posts were filled that year. Professors say vacancies could be over 200 as a few more faculty members have retired.
A senior professor said such appointments had been made earlier too, by the University.
University Vice Chancellor M.K. Surappa said such a scheme existed in all universities across the country.
No of faculty appointed in 2017-18
| Sanctioned posts | Filled posts | Vacant posts | Posts filled in 2017-18 | No of faculty with Ph D |
| 777 | 584 | 193 | Nil | Regular 492 Temporary 54 Total 546 |
*Source: Annual Quality Assurance Report 2017-18
“The scheme is designed to use the services of eminent faculty, not from other States but from within the State. Central institutions such as the IITs and the IISc followed this method. The emeritus professors could apply to national agencies for funds and research projects and fellowships. The appointment would only be for a limited period and the retired faculty would be hired from within the State,” he said.
Though the Syndicate had approved a salary component of around ₹1.20 lakh, the University had not yet implemented it. An IIT professor had chosen NIT over the University as the salary was poor here, Mr. Surappa said.
But a senior faculty pointed to a government order denying re-employment for University teachers beyond 60 years of age.
The additional salary component would burden the University besides denying faculty positions to youngsters, he said.
