Mangalore University
Credit: DH Photo
Mangaluru: With the number of admissions remaining in the single digit or even zero, Mangalore University has decided to discontinue four of its postgraduate (PG) programmes for the academic year 2025–26.
The programmes that will be kept under suspended animation due to poor admissions are Electronics, Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ), Statistics, and HRD, said Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor P L Dharma, while responding to a query.
“It is not feasible to manage these programmes with a very low number of students. If there are enough applicants in 2026–27, the programme will be revived,” he said.
Dharma added that the university had initially decided to discontinue PG programmes temporarily with fewer than 15 students. “Later, it was decided to continue admissions even with at least 10 students,” he noted.
“The Department of Statistics failed to get any students last year as well, while the MCJ Department received only one applicant. Administrative notices have now been issued for the temporary suspension of these programmes. The HRD programme did not have a permanent faculty member and was being managed by faculty members from the Commerce Department and guest lecturers. Similarly, the Department of Statistics has had no permanent faculty member since the retirement of its senior professors. The MCJ and Electronics departments each have one permanent faculty member," he said.
“The MCJ Department faculty will continue to teach students who have opted journalism as an open elective paper, while the permanent faculty from the Electronics Department has been asked to assist with the Cyber Security programme,” the Vice-Chancellor explained.
Tax dues
Responding to a query on pending tax to the Konaje Gram Panchayat — an issue that has been repeatedly discussed in gram sabhas and GP meetings — Dharma said the panchayat had not calculated the tax scientifically.
“We can pay taxes only for those university buildings that are rented out and generate income, not for those that do not. Once the tax is calculated properly, we are ready to clear the dues in two instalments,” he said.
The issue has already been brought to the notice of Mangalore MLA and Assembly Speaker U T Khader, he added.