Save MKU Coalition urges government to release adequate funds to revive Madurai Kamaraj University

The Save MKU Coalition organised a meeting on Sunday and discussed the various issues plaguing Madurai Kamaraj University. The members offered solutions to resolve the problems at the university.

Secretary R. Murali said the objective of the meeting was to deliberate on the various critical issues and to identify possible solutions.

President A. Srinivasan highlighted the plight of pensioners who were suffering due to the delay in disbursal of pensions. He strongly urged that both salaries and pensions must be paid punctually on the first day of every month.

Treasurer S. Krishnasamy expressed serious concern over the government’s reluctance to release the grants to the university citing pending audit objections. He said this attitude worsened the financial crisis of the institution.

Three rounds of discussions were held during the meeting focusing on the university’s financial decline, issues concerning teachers, pensioners, staff, research scholars and students. These sessions were presided over by Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Retired College Teachers Association N. Periyathambi and P. Rajamanaickam of save MKU.

Several resolutions were passed during the meeting. The members of Save MKU Coalition said the Vice-Chancellor post remained vacant for a long period and it severely damaged the already deteriorating administration. A Vice-Chancellor should be appointed on a purely merit-based and transparent process, they said.

They demanded that the government release sufficient grants to enable the university to pay salaries and pensions on the first day of every month without delay. If the audit objections point to financial irregularities, a separate committee should be constituted to inquire into them. The members said the allocation of the grants was reduced, while the grants have been increased for some other universities. Such disparity was unacceptable and must be corrected.

Some of the other resolutions included regularisation of the services of casual labourers who had served for more than ten years, constitution of special grievance redressal cells for the students and research scholars, Internal Complaints Committee, to conduct Students Union Elections, a special Syndicate meeting to approve Ph.D. results. Save MKU Coalition appealed to the government to release adequate funds to revive Madurai Kamaraj University.