On Monday, Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati appointed vice-chancellors (V-Cs) for 14 state universities, addressing a significant staffing crisis that had left these institutions without regular leadership for periods ranging from 1 to 3 years. The appointments were made after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) highlighted the issue, prompting the governor, who also serves as the chancellor of state universities, to take action. The recruitment process began in June 2025 following the passage of the Odisha University (Amendment) Act, 2024, which aimed to clarify procedural ambiguities in the selection process. Nearly 350 applications were received from academics across the country for the positions. The urgency of these appointments is underscored by the fact that 2,117 faculty positions and 2,500 non-teaching posts remain unfilled in the state's higher education system. Many universities had been operating under interim arrangements, with senior professors acting as in-charge V-Cs. The BJD's youth and student wings threatened protests if the vacancies were not filled by the end of April, citing a “virtual paralysis” in the higher education department.