**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1529, answered on 09.02.2026, regarding the status of infrastructure and faculty position in the Central University of Odisha (CUO). It details the financial support provided to CUO for infrastructure development, recruitment processes, and compliance with reservation norms. The Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, provided the answer.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Financial Support:**
* ₹609.71 crore was sanctioned as grant-in-aid for the construction of the permanent campus of CUO over the last five years.
* ₹189 crore has been released by the University Grants Commission (UGC) based on the utilization of funds.
* **Infrastructure and Academics:**
* Academic activities are being conducted using completed infrastructure facilities like academic blocks, library buildings, hostels, staff quarters, and guest houses.
* The University is not facing difficulty in conducting academic programs.
* Measures are taken regularly to strengthen infrastructure, faculty, and student facilities.
* **Faculty and Staff Recruitment:**
* Recruitment of faculty and non-teaching staff is ongoing, following the Central Universities Act, 2009, the University Statutes and Ordinances, and applicable rules.
* CUO is a statutory autonomous institution established under an Act of Parliament, with all academic and administrative decisions made by its statutory bodies.
* **Reservation Compliance:**
* The University complies with reservation norms for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EWSs in admissions, faculty recruitment, and staff appointments.
* The University follows the reservation rules of the Government of India.
**Impact Analysis**
**Central University of Odisha (CUO)**
* **Impact**
* CUO benefits from financial support for infrastructure development.
* CUO is able to conduct academic activities.
* CUO must continue to comply with recruitment and reservation norms.
* **Action Required**
* CUO must utilise sanctioned funds effectively to continue infrastructure development.
* CUO must maintain compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
**University Grants Commission (UGC)**
* **Impact**
* UGC is responsible for releasing sanctioned funds based on utilisation.
* **Action Required**
* UGC must continue to oversee the utilisation of funds by CUO.
**Government of India (Ministry of Education)**
* **Impact**
* The Government monitors the status of CUO and provides financial support.
* **Action Required**
* The Government must continue to ensure adequate support and compliance with regulations at CUO.
**Students and Staff of CUO (including SCs, STs, OBCs, and EWSs)**
* **Impact**
* Students and Staff benefit from improved infrastructure, facilities, and fair recruitment practices.
* The reservation policies directly impact admissions, recruitment, and appointments.
* **Action Required**
* Students and Staff must continue to adhere to and benefit from the academic and facility improvements at CUO.
* SCs, STs, OBCs, and EWSs can expect that the University will continue to adhere to all reservation norms.
Key Entities Referenced
Central University of Odisha: The central focus of the infrastructure and faculty-related inquiry.
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responding to the parliamentary question.
University Grants Commission (UGC): The body responsible for releasing funds to the Central University of Odisha.
Central Universities Act, 2009: Governing law for faculty/staff recruitment at the Central University of Odisha.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1529
ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
Status of Infrastructure and Faculty Position in Central University, Odisha
1529. Shri Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the infrastructure status of the Central University
of Odisha, including availability of permanent campus facilities, hostels, laboratories,
libraries, digital infrastructure and student amenities, if so, the details of funds
sanctioned and utilised in this regard during the last five years;
(b) whether the Government has taken note of the faculty and non-teaching staff position
in the University, including sanctioned strength and actual vacancies, if so, the details
of the steps being taken to fill these posts on a regular basis;
(c) whether the Government has assessed the research output, funding received, centres
of excellence, collaborations and doctoral enrolment of the University, if so, the details
thereof, particularly in areas relevant to tribal studies, regional development and local
livelihoods; and
(d) whether the University is complying with reservation norms for Scheduled Castes
(SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically
Weaker Sections (EWSs) in admissions, faculty recruitment and staff appointments,
if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken/being taken by the Government to
ensure full compliance and inclusivity?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a) to (d): The Central University of Odisha (CUO) has been provided adequate financial
support for the development of its permanent campus. During the last five years, an
amount of ₹609.71 crore has been sanctioned as grant-in-aid for construction of its
permanent campus against which ₹189 crore has been released by the University Grants
Commission (UGC) based on utilisation of funds.
Academic activities of the University are being conducted using the completed
infrastructure facilities including academic blocks, library buildings, hostels, staff quarters
and guest house. The University is not facing any difficulty in conducting its academicprogrammes and appropriate measures are taken from time to time to strengthen its
infrastructure, faculty strength and student facilities.
Recruitment of faculty and non-teaching staff is a continuous process and is
carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Central Universities Act, 2009, the
Statutes and Ordinances of the University, and applicable rules as and when vacancies
arise. The Central University of Odisha is a statutory autonomous institution established
under an Act of Parliament. All academic and administrative decisions are taken by the
University through its statutory bodies such as the Executive Council, Academic Council
and Court.
The University complies with reservation norms for Scheduled Castes (SCs),
Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Economically Weaker
Sections (EWSs) in admissions, faculty recruitment and staff appointments in accordance
with the extant reservation rules of the Government of India.
***