CM Siddaramaiah’s Vachana University promise raises questions over Karnataka’s struggling public universities

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s promise that his government would set up a ‘Vachana University’ could, and must, rekindle a debate on the functioning of existing universities, including those that were established to promote specific disciplines or faculties. 

The Vachana University is likely to come up either in Basavakalyan or Kudalasangama, two places known best for their association with 12th century social reformer Basavanna. He is widely credited with popularising the Vachana literature. 

The likes of Industries Minister M B Patil and a few Lingayat seers are pushing for the Vachana University. 

Numerous scholars and researchers have done ample work on the Vachana literature. There is also the PG Halakatti Research Centre. So what will the Vachana University do exactly? No one knows yet. 

Any way, when it is set up, the Vachana University will become Karnataka’s 42nd public university. Most of the existing ones are struggling to survive.

The University of Mysore (UoM), one of the state’s oldest, has written to the government seeking funds to pay pensions and other retirement benefits. 

Hampi’s Kannada University, which was set up to conduct multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research on various aspects of the state’s language, is facing a funds crunch.

Last year, the university’s vice-chancellor D V Parashivamurthy wrote to Siddaramaiah, seeking his “personal intervention” to help pay off the institution’s bills. 

The Kannada University, which had 446 students doing research last year, has managed to find only 101 students this year. 

Looking at the last three years’ student intake, overall admissions have declined by two lakh.

In the academic year 2022-23, admissions for various higher education courses in the state were 4,50,716 and the same declined to 2,47,559 in 2025-26.

The condition of special universities like Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Karnataka State Open University and Karnataka Janapada University are so pathetic that some of them have single-digit admissions for a few courses.

“A university dedicated to study reformers like Basavanna and their Vachanas is good. The question is, for how long will it sustain?,” former vice-chancellor of Nrupathunga University Shrinivas S Balli said. 

“Looking at the condition of 9-10 recently established universities, one will know how concerned the government is. All specialised universities are facing a funds crunch,” Balli adds. 

The Congress government is mulling over the closure of seven universities that were set up when BJP was in power.

A Cabinet sub-committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is studying the matter. It is yet to arrive at a conclusion. 

Zero research

There are 11 universities without any PhD admissions. They include Nrupathunga University, Adikavi Sri Maharshi Valmiki University, Mandya University, Maharani Cluster University, Bidar University, Chamarajanagara University, Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Kodagu University, Koppala University and Bengaluru Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics University.

Vacancies

State-run universities are facing a huge shortage of staff, with 63.76% posts lying vacant.

Bengaluru City university has 161 sanctioned posts, of which only 10 are filled.

At least 11 universities, including Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Maharani Cluster University, Karnataka State Open University and all seven universities established by the previous BJP government have 100% faculty positions vacant. They’re making do with guest lecturers.

Infra issues

The Karnataka State Higher Education Council has estimated that universities require Rs 676 crore to address critical infrastructure issues. This includes construction of classrooms, hostels, laboratories, auditoriums, sewage plants, stadiums, dining halls, libraries and so on. 

Just to settle pension dues, state-run universities need Rs 562 crore. So far, the government has released only Rs 166 crore. The University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) and UoM have not paid pensions to employees even after two years of their retirement.