Sambalpur: The new Vice Chancellor of Sambalpur University, Prof Dipak Behera, has stressed his determination to improve the prevailing situation both on the academic and administrative sides.
Since the university is unable to perform to the optimum level due to various reasons, including human resources crunch, it has earned a bad name particularly in two areas. One is delay in publishing results, hindering the students’ future course of action and the other is students are not able to get their certificates even four years after passing their examinations.
Speaking to Orissa POST Sunday, Behera disclosed that World Bank is going to provide Rs 30 crores to the university very soon. Other six universities in the state will also get similar financial assistance from the World Bank. He added the aid amount would be used for developing (a) human resources, (b) a centre of excellence and (c) colleges affiliated to the Sambalpur University as per the World Bank guidelines.
Behera said besides development of the university, he has to clear a lot of pending work. He said that he had signed about 1500 certificates on the first day of assuming charge. He has to sign about 70,000 certificates that have been left unsigned for the last four years. He has decided to sign 1000 certificates daily to clear a mountain of pending certificates.
The vice chancellor said it is a matter of worry that examination results are published late as a regular practice here, although they should be out within 45 days of completion of examinations. He wants to introduce reforms in the ongoing system of handling examinations and the professor has already discussed the issues with the Board of Examiners, Controller of Examinations and related section officers.
The vice chancellor said that it was discussed at the meeting to request the state government to insist on the designated evaluators to ensure their participation in the evaluation process, as almost 50 per cent of them hardly turn up for evaluation.
Many aspects need to be addressed to bring any reform in the prevailing slow system, the professor said, adding the results of theory and practical papers have to be sent by the college principals in two separate lists to expedite publication of results by the university.
Speaking about his new responsibilities, Prof Behera said that he has to look after a vast region as his university is covering almost 1/3 of the geographical area of the state consisting of 11 districts which have an average Scheduled Tribe population of 37 per cent whereas the state average is just 22 per cent. PNN