Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In an effort to maintain academic operations, the Odisha Higher Education Department on Thursday permitted all State Public Universities to re-engage current guest faculty members and hire new guest faculty members in place of open teaching positions. The recruitment process for regular professor jobs has already begun and is still under progress, according to a letter sent by Additional Secretary to Government Prativa Sahu to Registrars of State Public Universities. However, the government authorized the continuance and new engagement of Guest Faculties after taking into account suggestions made by different institutions regarding the lack of teaching staff.
The order allows for the re-engagement of current guest faculty members engaged under Higher Education Department Letter No. 4477/HE dated February 1, 2024, as well as the appointment of new guest faculty members in response to open teaching positions. For a duration of six months or until the standard recruiting procedure is finished, whichever comes first, the engagement will be solely temporary. Universities are now required by the department to provide information about all guest faculty members hired under the previous order as well as open positions suggested for new hires on the HIMS portal. In order to prove academic engagement, universities have also been instructed to post geotagged photos of guest faculty members while they are enrolled in classes.
Additionally, while determining the workload criteria for the engagement or re-engagement of guest faculty, the Higher Education Department directed universities to take into account the teaching contribution of candidates chosen under the Mukhyamantri Research Fellowship scheme under MRIP. These fellowship applicants must complete five hours of teaching assignments for undergraduate and graduate students each week. Before hiring or retaining guest faculty, colleges were instructed by the government to adhere to all requirements and notify the relevant department.
