Mgmt Crisis, Salary Delay Hit Dravidian University
It has faced leadership instability since October 2018, with eight Vice-Chancellors, including in-charge appointees.
Tirupati: The Dravidian University administration continues to remain in turmoil, with the institution operating under an in-charge Vice-Chancellor and an in-charge Registrar for past nine months. As a result, developmental activities have suffered exacerbating the university's longstanding woes.
The crisis exacerbated after the Telugu Desam (TD)-led NDA government assumed power, prompting the resignation of then Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. Madhujyothi. Later Prof. Doraswamy was appointed as the in-charge Vice-Chancellor, while Professor Kiran Kumar took over as in-charge Registrar. However, the absence of permanent leadership has left the administration in disarray.
The university, founded in 1997 at Kuppam in Chittoor district near the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border, aims to promote Dravidian and tribal languages. However, 28 years on, it remains entangled in controversies over PhD admission malpractices, degree irregularities, and administrative inefficiencies.
It has faced leadership instability since October 2018, with eight Vice-Chancellors, including in-charge appointees. Only Prof. T. Ramakrishna completed a full term. Prof. Sudhakar Yedla, appointed by the then TD government in January 2019, resigned in September 2019 under alleged YSR Congress pressure. A similar pattern emerged in December 2023 when Prof. K. Madhu Jyothi, appointed by YSRC, reportedly faced resignation calls from the NDA government in July 2024. Since then, Prof. Doraswamy has been serving in an interim role.
This had far-reaching consequences. No executive meeting has taken place since the leadership vacuum emerged, stalling all developmental programmes. "The absence of regular executive meetings has crippled decision-making at every level. Important projects are gathering dust”, said a senior professor on condition of anonymity.
This administrative inertia has also impacted the university's academic standing, with the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) restricting Dravidian University’s grading to a 'B'. The NAAC peer team has not only expressed dissatisfaction over the current state of governance but also urged the university to streamline its administration.
Adding to the crisis, outsourcing employees at the university have not received their full salaries for over a year. Although six months' wages were disbursed initially, the remaining dues have yet to be cleared, leaving many staff members in financial distress. "It's been months since we received our salaries. We are struggling to make ends meet”, lamented an outsourcing employee.
Despite the government appointing regular Vice-Chancellors for more than nine universities across the state, Dravidian University’s appointment remains conspicuously pending. This delay has stalled crucial processes such as faculty promotions and the launch of new higher education programmes, further fuelling discontent within the academic community.
