Karnataka: Faculty crisis at government-run engineering colleges as 50 percent positions vacant
Bengaluru: Data reveals that half of the faculty positions are vacant in state government engineering colleges, highlighting a concerning situation that is impacting the quality of education and causing these institutions to lose out on valuable central funding.
According to the annual report submitted to the government by the Department of Technical Education, as cited by Deccan Herald on Monday, there are 646 sanctioned faculty positions across 16 government-run engineering colleges, of which 307 remain vacant.
The state higher education department's solution — allowing colleges to hire guest faculty — has compounded the problem in few ways. First, the absence of regular faculty members is hindering the colleges' ability to secure funds from central agencies. Second, this shortage is making it increasingly difficult for the colleges to obtain accreditation from the National Board of Accreditation (NBA).
The development comes against the background of the recent decision of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to reduce the intake of three government colleges by 25 percent, with faculty shortage being cited as one of the main reasons by the committee that inspected the colleges, the report mentioned. These colleges were also forbidden from getting any funds from the central schemes.
"There was no recruitment done after 2010. Even for positions that fell vacant because of retirement, death and voluntary retirement, even to fill those posts, we need to get approval of the Finance Department," an official source from the Higher Education Department told DH.
A principal of a government engineering college said guest faculties come with their issues. He stated that guest faculty members cannot be expected to show long-term commitment. If they receive better salary offers, they may leave mid-year, and they often lack a strong bond with students. For certain subjects, like Computer Science, it is even challenging to find qualified guest faculty.
Not only are teaching positions vacant, but non-teaching roles at government engineering colleges have also remained unfilled for the past 14 years. According to the data, out of 1,150 non-teaching posts, a staggering 1,023 are vacant.
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Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to ISKCON Society Bengaluru: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday held that the Hare Krishna temple in Bengaluru belongs to the ISKCON Society in the city.
The top court allowed the plea of ISKCON Bangalore challenging a Karnataka High Court order that ruled in favour of ISKCON Mumbai over control of the iconic Hare Krishna temple and educational complex in Bengaluru.
A bench comprising Justices A S Oka and Augustine George Masih delivered the verdict.
ISKCON Bangalore had moved the top court on June 2, 2011 challenging the high court's verdict of May 23, 2011.
In the plea, ISKCON Bangalore, represented by its office-bearer Kodandarama Dasa, contested the high court judgment that overturned a 2009 order of a local court in Bengaluru.
The trial court had earlier ruled in favour of ISKCON Bangalore, recognising its legal title and granting a permanent injunction against ISKCON Mumbai.
However, the high court reversed this ruling and upheld a counterclaim by ISKCON Mumbai, effectively granting them control over the temple.
The legal tussle pits two societies with similar names and spiritual missions against each other.
ISKCON Bangalore, a Karnataka-registered society, contends that it has been operating independently and managing the Bengaluru temple for decades.
ISKCON Mumbai, registered under the national Societies Registration Act of 1860 and the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950, claims that ISKCON Bangalore is merely its branch and that the property in question rightfully belongs under its jurisdiction.
