The members of the University of Madras union have expressed dissent about the recent cuts approved by the Finance Committee for the Institution.
The University has been directed by a coordinator committee since August 2023 in the absence of a vice chancellor. At the Senate meeting on March 28, the University does not present its annual budget since the Finance Committee had not approved it.
The Committee to approve the University Budget by 2025-26, chaired by the Secretary of Higher Education C. Samayamory, who is also the coordinator of the Committee that manages university affairs in the absence of a VC.
The other members are Gkarun Sations Thayalan, special secretary, Finance Department; K. Pandian, head of the Department of Inorganic Chemistry and member of the union; Rita John, director of the Department of Theoretical Physics and member of the union. The University Finance Officer was a special guest.
The Finance Committee has proposed Drastic Beidens cuts asking for masters appointments through TRB and the non -teaching Faculty of TNPSC.
The cuts are under several bosses “to administer the financial restriction at the university” in the estimate of the budget by 2025-26.
The Committee has reduced the contingency fund of the University’s academic departments by 20%, which could affect the maintenance of equipment, consumables and laboratory accessories, among others. Has reduced 30% of library books and periodic publications in addition to a 40% cut for building maintenance. Funds for student facilities, sports and physical education will be reduced by half.
The Committee recommended reducing external labor from 221 personnel existing to 150. The strength of ‘piece of piece’ cut from 106 to 75. It has proposed to reduce invited teachers from 115 to 75 and part -time teachers from 46 to 30. These teachers will only serve for 20 hours a month in the obligation.
The committee said: “The existing 50% proportional allocation against registration collection and laboratory rate will be reduced to 30% under self -sufficiency courses.”
On Monday, union members wrote to the registrar with their complaints and problems that the state government has ignored. They said that the proposed reductions “are hostile for the interests of the students” and harmful to the performance of the university. “
The members appealed to the university to inform the state government of the situation and seek subsidies to provide the 2025-26 budget estimate for all the heads of budget, without any reduction.
The members demanded an explanation for action tasks on the irregularities of purchase committed by the center of Dr. MGR for Social Development Studies. Six union members had signed a consultation report. The investigation began on the instructions of the Finance Committee, they said.
The call of the Committee on university appointments not only erodes the autonomy of the university, but also diversity and complexity in the specialization in disciplines for faculty positions, evaluating the teaching and research skills of postgraduate and doctoral applicants.
The appointments adhered to the rules of the University subsidies commission and followed as a practice throughout the country, the members affirmed that the recruitment of TRB is generic and for undergraduate levels.
The members also said that the University’s Purchase Committee had no more than half of the financial year 2024-25.
This “misguided approach” made the researchers and teachers of the project, since they could not use the funds granted by several agencies. United subsidies had to be returned to financing agencies with criminal interest, which resulted in a great loss for the university and endangering the PIs of Seijsing funds in the future, they said.
“We see an explanation about the amount of loss, identification of responsible administrative staff,” they said.
The members indicated that the university is working with a strength of the 66% deficiency faculty. From the sanctioned force of 540 there are currently only 184 available. In the 964 non -teacher category they are vacant.
Published – April 15, 2025 11:26 PM IST
