Bhubaneswar, January 16: In a significant move to improve the quality of education, the Odisha government has directed universities and colleges to identify non-performing lecturers for compulsory early retirement.

A letter from the Higher Education Department, issued on January 13, instructed registrars and college principals to submit a comprehensive list of faculty members failing to fulfill their academic duties by January 31.

The directive focuses on teachers who are not actively involved in teaching, research, or mentoring and have made minimal contributions to their respective institutions.

The government plans to enforce compulsory retirement under existing service rules for these staff members, aiming to boost academic standards and enhance administrative effectiveness in the face of growing concerns over the declining quality of education in several colleges.