129 teaching staff post vacant in Mangalore University

Mangaluru: A total of 129 posts of teaching staff are lying vacant at Mangalore University (MU). Out of the total sanctioned 273 posts, only 144 posts has been filled currently.

Of 29 sanctioned posts of professor, 22 are lying vacant, while 28 out of 42 sanctioned posts of associate professor are vacant. 79 posts of assistant professor are vacant out of 202 sanctioned strength.

On the other hand, 358 posts in group A, B, C and D categories are lying vacant. The total strength of non teaching staff in the university is 547. 28 post of Group A staff out of sanctioned strength of 49 are lying vacant. In Group B category, 15 posts out of 27 sanctioned posts are lying vacant. In Group C category, 146 out of 264 sanctioned posts are vacant and in Group D category, 169 out of 207 posts are lying vacant.

MU Finance Officer Dr Sangappa Y said Rs 1.75 crore to Rs 1.85 crore is being paid as salaries for guest faculty every month. About Rs 1.50 crore is spent on paying salaries for the outsourced non teaching staff. In addition, there are 409 retired personnel in the university for the payment of pension. Only Rs 83 lakh is paid from the government for the pension.

Registar Raju K said, “If the salary component is taken care of by the government, then a huge burden on the university will be reduced. Presently, internal sources are used for paying the salary of guest faculty and outsourced non teaching staff."

The university has been writing to the government to pay the salaries of guest faculty recruited against the sanctioned strength that is lying vacant. There are about 350 to 400 guest faculties in MU including constituent colleges, MU in charge VC Prof Jayaraj Amin informed.

Mulling over hiking affiliation fee

The cash-strapped varsity is mulling over a hike in affiliation fee by 10 per cent. Registrar Raju K said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, affiliation fee was reduced by 20 per cent. Now, the university is planning to hike by 10 per cent.

Revision of ordinance

The draft on ordinance governing the acts of indiscipline and malpractices in the university examinations which was approved in the academic council meeting in October, will be revised following opposition to hefty fines proposed in the ordinance.

Prof Jayaraj Amin and Raju K said after revision, the ordinance will be tabled before the Academic Council and Syndicate for approval.