The financial condition of the Osmania University will remain right only if the State government releases Rs. 110 crore to pay UGC pay scale arrears and for the new recruitments being done now.
If the government fails to pay the arrears, which it has not promised to do so far, the university will face a huge deficit of about Rs. 110 crore. The budget presented to the Academic Senate on Thursday and approved by it showed that the University expects its income to be Rs. 385.18 crore while the expenses would be Rs. 385.42 crore. The income sources are Rs. 166.14 crore block grants from the State government, Rs. 110 crore from the government for payment of arrears, Rs. 46.05 crore from the examination branch, Distance Education Centre and other departments, and Rs. 28.71 crore from internal resources.
Presenting the budget, M. Upender, member, Academic Senate, said that major portion of the income would be spent on salaries (Rs. 160.12 crore) and pension (Rs. 78 crore). It means 80 per cent of budget (including arrear payments) is allocated to salaries and pensions alone.
UPE status
The Vice-Chancellor S. Satyanarayana, however, expressed confidence that the funds would be generated as expected. He said huge funds were expected from the UGC in the 12th Plan as the University was conferred university with Potential for Excellence (UPE) status.
The UPE status varsities would get Rs. 50 crore additionally over a period of five years. All major development works would be taken up with those funds. Two new hostels including one for girl students would be constructed this year, he said.
Prof. Satyanarayana said sizable funding was received from the UGC and other national agencies. The performance of 12 university departments at different levels of UGC Special Assistance Programme (DRS-7, DSA-4 & CAS-1) was quite encouraging.
The Geology and Microbiology departments had been shortlisted under SAP this year. This year, 50 new projects were likely to receive sanction. Under the non-UGC schemes apart from the ongoing 90 research projects, 16 new research projects with an outlay of Rs. 12.59 crore had been sanctioned.
Increased grants
To encourage publication of research projects, the university has decided to increase the publication grant from the present Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 to all the teachers. However, the department concerned has to recommend the publication. The assurance has been given to the Senate based on a question raised by a member.
A senior professor of Commerce, M. Sulochana raised the absence of ladies rooms in all the colleges and expressed displeasure that no funds were allocated for them. The rising number of girl students in all the colleges had created a necessity for ladies rooms, she felt. The Vice-Chancellor said that the onus of providing such facilities lay with the principals concerned and the funds generated through the self-finance courses could be utilised for that.
Foreign students
This year, a record number of 1,342 international students from 54 countries have been admitted into different courses at the university and its affiliated colleges. It has a cumulative strength of 3,700 international students from nearly 75 countries.
