Mangalore University in financial crisis!

Mangalore University is facing operational challenges for its four constituent colleges due to the lack of government approval and financial constraints.

This issue has been brought to the attention of the Chancellor and the Higher Education Minister by the University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. P.L. Dharma.

The constituent colleges, including those in Bannadka and Nelyadi, the university campus college, and the evening college, have been operational for seven to eight years. However, they have not received statutory approval from the government for the past four years. On April 15, a letter was sent to the Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department seeking approval, Prof. Dharma revealed.

Mangalore University has lost its ability to generate internal revenue. Various colleges have become autonomous, resulting in a loss of fee income. Post-COVID, government grants have also been insufficient. The financial strain has made it difficult to manage these constituent colleges, with salaries for faculty and staff being delayed for three to four months.

Additionally, the distance education center, which previously generated income, was closed following a government order. The university’s internal resources are now limited to fees from affiliated colleges and various certificates. UGC projects and industrial income have also decreased. These issues have been highlighted to the government. Admissions for the current academic year have been initiated in the constituent college on the university campus based on the assurance from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Prof. Dharma stated.

Investigations into Past Scandals

There are ongoing investigations into several past scandals at Mangalore University under the leadership of retired judges. Prof. Dharma refrained from commenting on these investigations, stating that the university does not have the authority to probe alleged scandals that occurred during the tenures of previous Vice-Chancellors.

Unauthorized Appointments

The government has declared that the appointment of 187 outsourced employees at Mangalore University over the past few years is unauthorized. Consequently, the university has been ordered to immediately terminate these appointments to allocate the pending pensions (INR 14 crores) to retired employees. The phased termination of these unauthorized employees is expected to save the university approximately INR 3 crores annually, Prof. Dharma disclosed.