Faculty recruitment at JU hits snag despite UGC approval

Jahangirnagar University (JU) is facing an acute faculty shortage in 16 departments and three institutes, even though the University Grants Commission (UGC) has already approved the recruitment of 104 new teachers.

According to the registrar's office, the UGC granted clearance to create new faculty posts at JU.

However, no recruitment process has been initiated so far, leaving several departments struggling to maintain smooth academic operations.

The worst-hit departments include Law and Justice, Management Studies, Marketing, Government and Politics, Anthropology, Urban and Regional Planning, Economics, Geological Sciences, Statistics, Mathematics, Fine Arts, Archaeology, and Drama and Dramatics.

Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Public Health and Informatics, and the Institutes of Business Administration, Remote Sensing and GIS, and Comparative Literature and Culture are also grappling with acute shortages.

"We need 22 teachers but currently have only six. At least 10 more posts should be approved by the UGC," said Professor Md Rezaul Islam, director of the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture.

Sources say the shortage has already triggered session backlogs, delaying graduations in several departments. Many units are relying on guest lecturers, but students complain of weak classroom engagement and deteriorating teaching quality.

Also, vacant administrative posts, including hall tutors and assistant proctors, remain unaddressed.

International higher education standards recommend a teacher-student ratio of 1:20, but several JU departments fall far short. The Department of Law and Justice has a ratio of 1:163, Accounting and Information Systems 1:50, while Management Studies and the Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture are at 1:25.

University officials, requesting anonymity, said the vice-chancellor (VC) is reluctant to start faculty recruitment ahead of the upcoming national election. Hiring is likely to begin only after a new government assumes office.

JU VC Professor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan admitted the delay and said it's due to heavy administrative workload.

"A commission is currently reviewing recruitment processes. The appointment of new faculty will begin once the reforms are finalised," he said.

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