Pune: The recruitment process for 111 vacant professor positions across various departments at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has been delayed by six months due to technical issues.
Currently, the scrutiny of submitted applications is underway, and candidates from the Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) will now be allowed to apply. As a result, eligible candidates will have to wait even longer for the recruitment process to conclude.
The recruitment process for these positions began in December 2023, garnering significant attention from eligible candidates due to the lack of new hirings in recent years.
Approximately 5,000 applications have been submitted so far. However, various technical difficulties have stalled the process. The recruitment was initially halted for about three months due to the code of conduct enforced during the Lok Sabha elections.
Additionally, the state government's implementation of reservations for SEBC candidates required the university to create and verify a roster for these applicants, which has now been completed. SEBC candidates will soon be given a period to submit their applications online.
After this period, these applications will need to be scrutinized. Moreover, selection committees for each subject must be established, adding to the delay. Therefore, candidates will have to wait longer for the interview stage to commence.
Candidates across the state have been waiting for this recruitment for the past six months. With the upcoming assembly elections, there are concerns that the process might be further delayed due to the election code of conduct.
Eligible candidates are questioning whether the recruitment will be completed before the code of conduct for the assembly elections comes into effect.
"The scrutiny of the submitted applications is ongoing. SEBC candidates will be given an opportunity to apply. Once all technical processes are completed, the interview stage will follow," said Dr. Parag Kalkar, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University.
