Ragging Issue May Stall UGC Funds Flow To University

ANANTAPUR: Sri Krishna Devaraya University (SKU) is facing odds due to the absence of a regular Vice-Chancellor, as an in-charge VC rule is going on for a long time.

Students and faculty are worried over the governmental neglect as the present TD-led government has not addressed such issues so far.

The university’s governing council meeting mandated every three months has been postponed twice. Adding to the woes, the UGC has issued a warning that its precious funds may be withheld if the ragging incident reported in the MBA department is left unaddressed. The ragging incident was only a manifestation of the deeper crisis the university faced.

Faculty and students note that the in-charge VC, who took charge in June last year, has been delaying decisions on critical issues and compounding the problems. Departments have been struggling with inadequate staff. Professors are holding multiple roles such as dean, HoDs, rector and even research director simultaneously, leaving most decisions pending.

Research scholars are among the worst- affected. Students who joined in 2011 and 2013–14 are still struggling to complete their theses. While many have been forced to pay extension fees of up to Rs 40,000, they say their thesis submissions are delayed due to administrative apathy.

In some cases, guides were suspended midway, leaving students in limbo. Research paper submissions have been stalled since 2021, as confusion prevailed in the university’s administration.

Allegations of irregularities have tarnished the university’s image. In last year’s reshuffle, a non-teaching staff member was controversially appointed as registrar. This helped him secure five increments and he is reportedly seeking its arrears worth Rs 60 lakh. This raised questions about governance and transparency.

Departments across the university are run on skeletal staff. The Economics department has only one professor who doubles as instructor, HoD, dean and rector. Similar conditions prevail in Mathematics and Geology, where a single professor handles four to five positions, undermining efficiency and academic output.

Student organisations and education activists fear the government may be considering permanent closure of the university instead of strengthening it.

“The government must appoint a full-time vice-chancellor and improve accountability,” said M Suresh Babu, convener of the Vidya Prarikshana committee and REF president Ramachandra.

As higher education in Anantapur faces a crisis, the question remains: how much more time does it take for the government and Sri Krishna Devaraya University to set the house in order?