Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court on Friday issued a stay on the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 through which the state government had sought to control appointment to important academic and administrative posts in state universities, including the recruitment of teaching staff.
The Supreme Court on Friday put a stay on the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 through which the state government had sought to control appointment to important academic and administrative posts in state varsities. (HT PHOTO.)
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A division bench of SC judges comprising Justice SA Nazeer and Justice Krishan Murari stayed the Act for the next three months after hearing a petition filed against the Act by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and retired professor of JNU Ajit Kumar Mohanty. The court sought a reply from the Odisha government and set the date for the next hearing on the matter after two months.
In January this year, the Orissa High Court had upheld the validity of the Act dismissing three petitions that had challenged it. The high court bench headed by chief justice S Muralidhar observed that the changes made in the procedure of recruitment of vice-chancellors and teachers for various universities were not unconstitutional.
The Amendment Act of 2020, which was notified in the Odisha Gazette and came into force on September 4, 2020 did away with Odisha University Act and took away the power of recruitment of teaching staff of state-run universities from the respective Senates and gave it to the Odisha Public Service Commission. Odisha has 11 Universities, managed by the state and recognized by the UGC. Some of these Universities were established prior to Independence. The Utkal University was established in 1943 while Ravenshaw College which began in 1868, became a University in 2005.
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This year, retired JNU professor Ajit Kumar Mohanty and University Grants Commission had moved the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the high court. The UGC contended that the state law is in conflict with the UGC Regulation-2018 issued under University Grant Commission Act, 1956.
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This year, retired JNU professor Ajit Kumar Mohanty and University Grants Commission had moved the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the high court. The UGC contended that the state law is in conflict with the UGC Regulation-2018 issued under University Grant Commission Act, 1956.
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.
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