NAAC assessment due next year, Kurukshetra University asks govt to fill vacant posts

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, September 20

The fact that Kurukshetra University failed to feature in the list of top 100 universities (in the university category) in the country of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), has increased the concern for the university as the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) grading is due next year.

Currently, the university has A-plus grade in the NAAC grading.

The Ministry of Human Resource and Development brings out NIRF every year based on the scores of five parameters — teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity and peer perception.

The university featured in the NIRF rank band of 100-150. Last year, it had slipped a rank to the 99th position.

Kurukshetra University Teachers Association president Parmesh Kumar said: “The shortage of staff has impacted the NIRF and if the situation is not improved, it may impact the NAAC grading as well. The government should immediately fill the vacant post of teachers. The posts of teachers under the self-financed scheme (SFS) should be converted into the budgeted.”

A senior KU official said: “It is a matter of concern for the university. The university has 506 budgeted posts of teachers and by the end of 2021, around 258 posts will be vacant. The next year is going to be very crucial for the university. There has been no recruitment after 2012. We have asked the government to fill the vacant posts as it will improve the research work, education quality and academic activities of the university, which is very important for a Grade-A university.”

On the NIRF, Dr Brajesh Swahney, director, public relations, KU, said: “The university has been facing a shortage of staff that has impacted the student-teacher ratio. Besides this, it has also impacted research work and the number of PhD scholars. Since there has been no new recruitment, the number of new research articles has decreased. The university has taken up the matter with the government for the recruitment of teachers. The university will undergo NAAC accreditation next year, for which all preparations have been started and with the support of the government, we will improve our NAAC grade.”