Can’t pay you: Govt to Madras varsity ‘Not Bound To Provide Salaries’

Can’t pay you: Govt to Madras varsity ‘Not Bound To Provide Salaries’

Ragu.Raman@timesofindia.com 14.03.2025

Chennai : A letter from state govt stating that it is under no obligation to provide salary or pension grants to the University of Madras has sparked a controvery. Educationists want the govt to adopt a holistic approach to resolve the financial crisis and save the struggling state university. The letter was sent in reply to the member-secretary of Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority asking the govt to depute an officer to appear at the counselling centre on March 12 in connection with a pension-related case. 

“As per University of Madras statutes, there is no obligation on the part of the govt to provide salary or pension or any grant to the university. Previous sanctions were made as a special grant to meet the payment of pension and family pension arrears,” G K Arun Sundar Thayalan, special secretary to govt, said in his letter to the Madras University Registrar on March 11.

“Hence, the university is liable to pay pension arrears, family pension arrears, and DCRG arrears. Above all, the govt does not sanction pensions for the university officials,” he further stated in the letter. Former vice-chancellor of the university P Duraisamy said whatever was stated in the letter is correct as per the statutes. 

“At the same time, the state govt should allow the increase of fees to boost the revenue of the university. The govt should take a holistic approach to solve the financial crisis,” he said. Another former ViceChancellor, S P Thyagarajan, said if the state govt does not provide the funding, it would be disastrous. “University of Madras is not offering any professional courses. The admission to PG programmes in university departments is also less. The state govt should provide the grant so the poor and downtrodden will have access to higher education,” he said.

The govt can adopt any model to provide the grant, he added. “This is the first university established in the state. Not allowing the university to increase the fees periodically also affected it. So, the state govt cannot say it has no obligation. It should immediately release the grants meant for the university,” said C Murugan, general secretary, Madras University Teachers 'Association.