HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar (Image courtesy: LSTV Grab via PTI)

NEW DELHI: Appointment of academic staff in institutions of higher education across India has stopped after the University Grants Commission on Thursday asked all central universities, state universities and deemed universities receiving grant-in-aid from the government or the commission and inter-university centres to postpone the process.

The UGC move followed an instruction from the HRD ministry due to a special leave petition filed before the Supreme Court regarding implementation of the government’s reservation policy.

HRD minister Prakash Javadekar informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the government is committed to 50% reservation for SC/STs and OBCs and that it “does not agree” with the Allahabad HC ruling that had struck down a circular prescribing institution-wise reservation to fill vacant faculty positions.

“We are hopeful we will be able to save reservation for SC, ST and OBCs,” he said replying to zero-hour mention by opposition members.

Delhi University and Allahabad University immediately postponed ongoing interviews.

The recruitment of around 2,000 faculty posts in DU has been stalled due to confusion over the implementation of UGC’s March 5 notification that reservations for SC/ST posts be calculated department-wise, not institution-wise.

While most colleges had cancelled the interviews some colleges had started the process but that too now stands postponed.

