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State abolishes 11 faculty posts at USM

BHUBANESWAR: The decision of the Finance Department to abolish 11 posts of lecturers from the city-based Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, the State’s premiere college of performing arts, has sparked off fresh resentment among its students. And it is likely to snowball into an agitation soon.

The campus of this 44-year-old institution remained tense for nearly three months earlier this year due to alleged sexual harassment of girl students by a section of faculty members. It compelled the government to close it sine die to suppress the agitation that was turning violent.

A number of students and faculty members who spoke to The Hindu on Wednesday lamented that the prolonged apathetic attitude of the government towards such a unique institution had jeopardised its mission of grooming talented artistes of a State that is rich and famous for its arts and culture. The decision to abolish a large number of posts would be its last nail on the coffin; they pointed out and threatened to take to the streets to revoke the “dangerous decision”.

Of the 13 departments, the government had abolished the three departments related to Carnatic music – veena, violin and vocal. At present, the college having programmes up to post graduate level has a sanctioned strength of 23 lecturers for the remaining 10 departments of which 10 posts were lying vacant. Ironically enough, of the 13 positions, two have been placed under suspension adversely affecting the standard of teaching, revealed the faculty members.

For reasons best known to the authorities, the Finance Department has suggested the Department of Culture (that looks after the college) to appoint lecturers on contract after abolition of the permanent posts.

Meanwhile, students of the city-based B.K. College of Art and Craft are also up in arms with the news that the Finance Department has ordered for abolition of four posts from its faculty. “While we are preparing to celebrate the golden jubilee of the college this year, the government’s arbitrary decision has come as a blow to the future of the premiere college of fine art,” they remarked.

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