Over 7,100 teaching, non-teaching posts vacant in 4 agricultural universities in Maharashtra: Govt

Nagpur, Dec 12 (PTI) More than 7,100 teaching and non-teaching posts are vacant in four major agricultural universities in Maharashtra, according to the state government.

Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne shared the data in a written reply in the legislative council on Thursday.

Several members of the Upper House of the state legislature had sought to know the number of vacant posts in Akola-based Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth and three other key such varsities, and whether manpower shortage was affecting education and research.

Barne said 2,235 posts are vacant in Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth. The other three universities are Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth in Parbhani, and Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth in Dapoli.

In the four major agricultural universities in the state, Bharne said, 7,199 teaching and non-teaching category posts are vacant.

However, other teachers, non-teaching staff and contractual employees are effectively taking care of the workload, he said.

The minister said that data is being compiled about all vacant posts in the four agricultural universities. Once finalised, a proposal will be sent to the finance department, he said, adding that the vacant posts will be filled as per government policy after approval. PTI CLS NR