University presents deficit budget of Rs. 5.44 crore for academic year 2021-2022

Mysore/Mysuru: The University of Mysore (UoM) has decided to discontinue its Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) courses from the 2020-21 academic year. The decision was informed at the third General Academic Council meeting held yesterday at Vigyan Bhavan under the Chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar and Registrar Prof. R. Shivappa. 

The University had passed an official order in this regard and had modified the existing rules and regulations for M.Phil courses and had sent it for the assent of Governor, who is the Chancellor of the University on Sept. 5, 2020. 

The Higher Education Department Principal Secretary had sought clarifications regarding the existing rules and regulations regarding M.Phil courses from the University through separate letters on Nov. 25, 2020 and Jan. 19, 2021. 

The pros and cons of scrapping of M.Phil courses were discussed at the M.Phil Committee meeting on Feb. 2, 2021 and after taking approval from the Vice-Chancellor and a letter of clarification was written to Higher Education Department Principal Secretary on Feb. 16, 2021. 

UGC guidelines

The University has taken the decision to scrap M.Phil courses in the wake of the Centre’s move to discontinue the two-year academic research programme that often serves as a bridge between Master’s and Ph.D course. “Those who are doing M.Phil can complete it. New admissions may not happen from the next academic year,” the Centre and UGC had clarified. 

M.Phil has been discontinued as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) that sets the stage for a vast array of reforms in the Indian education sector. Even before the NEP, M.Phil was not a mandatory requirement for students to pursue Ph.D. It served as a gateway to teaching jobs in universities, but students can also apply for them if they have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET). For many, M.Phil was just a first brush with research that helps them decide if they wish to pursue it further.

Deficit budget

At the Academic Council meeting, the University presented a deficit budget of Rs. 5.44 crore for the academic year 2021-2022. The varsity is expecting revenue of Rs. 310 crore and its expenditure stands at Rs. 315.73 crore. 

The century-old University has 1,750 pensioners and in the budget, Rs. 90 crore has been set aside for pensions and pensionary benefits. Rs. 44.16 crore has been released by the Government and a deficit amount of Rs. 45.84 has been expected from the Government. 

A proposal had been sent to the State Government to grant Rs. 111.60 crore in the State Budget, but no grants have come, the VC told the meeting. 

250 vacancies

Though the Government has asked the University to fill the 250 vacant posts, the process has been withheld due to COVID-19 pandemic, the VC said and added that approval from the Government would be sought to start the appointment process again. 

“Quality education is not possible with vacant posts. Though the Higher Education Department has permitted the University to fill the vacancies, approval from the Finance Department is mandatory to go ahead with the appointments and we will seek approval  for the same. 

Of the 250 vacancies, 77 posts have been reserved for SC/ST candidates and 55 posts have been reserved for Hyderabad-Karnataka candidates and the rest are general merit candidates,” Prof. Hemantha Kumar added. 

The Government has approved the setting up of Dr. S.P. Balasubramaniam Chair in the University and plans will be chalked out to the activities of the Chair in the coming days, he added. 

Autonomy for colleges

The Academic Council has decided to extend autonomy status to various colleges as per the report presented by the inspection committee. Government Arts, Commerce and Post-graduate College in Hassan, JSS Arts, Science and Commerce College on B.N. Road, Mysuru, Government Science College, Hassan, JSS Women’s College, Saraswathipuram, Mysuru, Maharani Women’s Science College, Mysuru and Government Science College Mandya will retain the autonomous status. 

Registrar (Evaluation) Prof. A.P. Jnanaprakash, Arts Dean Prof. M. Talawar, Science Dean Prof. G. Venkatesh Kumar, Senior Professor Muzzaffar Assadi, MLC R. Dharmasena and others were present.