81 SPPU staffers on census duty, varsity says it will cripple academics & exam work

Pune: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and its teachers’ organisation wrote to the municipal commissioner Naval Kishore Ram last week seeking exemption of the university’s faculty from Census 2027 duties. The letter cited severe staff shortage, ongoing examinations and legal objections to the appointments.

SPPU’s acting registrar Prafulla Pawar and vice-chancellor Suresh Gosavi’s wrote to the City Census officer on April 11 and April 25, respectively, seeking exemption for 81 teachers appointed for the enumeration duties.

The letters said that the university is functioning with only 142 teachers against the 384 sanctioned posts, amounting to nearly 63% vacancies. It said that the existing faculty is burdened with National Education Policy implementation, NAAC, NIRF, teaching, examination, and research responsibilities.

The organisation has also objected to the appointment of senior professors as enumerators and supervisors and argued that Group-A equivalent faculty should not be assigned subordinate-level census duties.

Pawar said that the 142 teachers are already managing immense academic and administrative workload. “Currently, the examinations are going on and evaluation work will follow. If the results are delayed, students will suffer. The admission season is on and if that is delayed, the academic year will meander. Faculty members are overseeing numerous national and international research projects. If not completed on time, it could damage the university’s reputation with sponsoring agencies and make it difficult to secure future grants,” he said.

Pawar added that while local authorities are required to provide staff for election and census duties, the university does not fall under the legal definition of a “local authority” for this purpose.

“We have provided our resources and our infrastructure to conduct training and other census work. All we are asking for is an exemption for our staff because it will impact students and disrupt the university’s core academic and research functions,” Pawar added.

Vijay Landge, PMC’s deputy commissioner who also heads the City Census Department said participating in the census is a national duty and of prime importance and every govt officer who is part of this work must devote time for it beyond their daily duties.

He said , “While one month has been given to complete the census work, it can be wrapped up in 8 to 10 days. The staff can work after finishing the day’s work, from 6pm to 9pm or on weekends when they have off days. But census work is binding on all.”

He added that it is not just the university, but all govt offices are short of staff because recruitments have not been regular. Even so, every department is participating in the work and so should the university.