Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday called upon college teachers to develop a problem-solving attitude among students.
While virtually addressing an orientation programme of college teachers, Patnaik said that society grows and gets ahead by solving its issues. It is therefore essential to develop a problem-solving attitude, especially among the youth.
Out of the 908 lecturers selected through the recruitment process by the State Selection Board (SSB), 639 joined on Tuesday and the rest will join soon.
He stated that teachers must help the youth to develop this critical trait among themselves. "We need knowledge that solves our problems, and transforms lives," he added.
"You are here by the potency of your education and are also going to make a career in education. No one understands the importance of education better than you," said the Chief Minister.
He added that with a focus on higher education, his government has launched recruitment drives to fill up vacant teachers posts on a massive scale, in both government and non-government aided colleges.
Since 2016, the state has initiated a recruitment process for 3,768 college teachers out of which 2,320 teachers have already been appointed in different aided colleges. Similarly, the process is on to recruit 991 lecturers in various government colleges and teachers' education institutes, he informed.
Further, he said, the process for recruitment of over 1000 professors, associate professors and assistant professors in various disciplines in all the state universities has already started.
"Smart classrooms will be developed in colleges on the lines of our school transformation programme," he stated.
Speaking on the occasion, Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo said, "We are initiating the Mo College programme to connect alumni with their alma mater."
Participating in the discussion, Secretary to CM V.K. Pandian said that the Chief Minister gives the highest importance to transparency. As is in the case of recruitments, the posting process will also follow merit and counselling and will be done with absolute transparency.