Govt drags feet on appointing guest lecturer

BENGALURU: The state government is facing a crisis in recruiting guest lecturers for degree colleges, despite court orders to do so. Classes are being disrupted due to the lack of guest lecturers, and the Higher Education Department has temporarily halted the recruitment process. Student organizations, including ABVP, are protesting against the government’s inaction.

The Higher Education Department and the Law Department have held two meetings so far, but no solution has been found. Meanwhile, the Higher Education Department is moving forward with the announcement of exams without any lecturers.

The government needs to resolve the issue by appointing guest lecturers as per the court orders. CM Siddaramaiah’s intervention may help resolve the problem. The state government, which typically recruits guest lecturers annually to address the shortage of lecturers in degree colleges, has not done so this year.

The High Court has ordered the government to follow UGC norms for recruiting guest lecturers, but eligible candidates are scarce in the state. Despite discussions between the Higher Education Department and the Law Department, no solution has been reached.

The court has mandated adherence to UGC standards, making it difficult to find qualified guest lecturers. The delay in recruitment is affecting students’ academic activities. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to review the guest lecturer recruitment process and a decision is expected to be announced after a meeting with stakeholders.