Rs 5.7 cr deficit budget for UoM

Prof S Indumati, Dean of Arts at the University of Mysore on Friday presented a deficit budget of Rs 5.7 crore for the year 2015-16. Combined with the existing deficit of 25.93 crore, the outstanding deficit will be increased to Rs 31.65 crore.

Presenting the budget at the Academic Council meeting, Indumati explained that the expenditure is estimated at Rs 218.04 crore against the expected revenue of Rs 212.32 crore from various sources. An amount of Rs 152.37 crore sanctioned by the State government, which would be sufficient to meet salaries and pensions of working and retired employees respectively. The initial budget estimates of the varsity was Rs 254.64 crore, which required a block grant of Rs 204.54 crore from the government. However, since the government sanctioned Rs 152.37 crore, budget estimates were revised, she said.

The State government which had released Rs 10 crore for centenary celebrations, has sanctioned additional Rs 50 crore for the same for the next fiscal. While Rs nine crore has been allotted for developing basic infrastructural facilties at the satellite post-graduate center of the varsity in Chamarajanagar, the government has also sanctioned Rs one crore each for setting up Dr U R Ananthamurthy and Prof Thippeswamy chairs at the varsity.

Daily wage of temporary employees, involved in cleanliness activities at the varsity has also been hiked from Rs 188 to Rs 255 in the budget.

US ambassador

Rangappa said, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma will visit the Oriental Research Institute (ORI), on March 31. Verma had contributed 25,000 US dollars for various activities of the Institute, he said.

Convocation

The convocation ceremony of University of Mysore is scheduled to be held on April 17, said Prof K S Rangappa, Vice Chancellor. He said that reputed scientist Govardhan Mehta is expected to deliver the convocation address.

Special Central Varsity status mooted

The Academic Council of University of Mysore (UoM) has decided to request the State Government to grant special Central University status to the University of Mysore during the centenary celebrations. The varsity will also petition the Centre, through the State Government to confer special status as the University of National Importance.

Speaking at the meeting, UoM Vice Chancellor, Prof K S Rangappa, said that they would also seek necessary assistance from both the Centre and State to celebrate the centenary year.

During the meeting, the lack of required statutes for MTech courses was also discussed. Board of Studies of the varsity, concerned with the course was instructed to frame the statutes, so that the courses offered at UoM adheres to the norms of University Grants Commission (UGC).

Lingaraj Gandhi, Director of College Development Council informed the meeting about the list of UGC approved degrees, released in 2014. Some courses offered at the varsity, such as Master of Tourism Administration, has not been included in the list, he said. The varsity should write to the UGC to include such courses in its list. Students of courses, which have not been included in the list will not be allowed to take up exams such as UGC-NET, S Indumati, Dean of Arts said. 

The Council noted that several post gradute courses has set an assessment pattern, which involves 50 internal marks.

Rangappa said that the assessment pattern went against norms and instructed the Dean of Science to write to all Department heads to put an end to the practice.