KOCHI: The coffers of Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) have been hit hard after the de-linking of its self-financing institutions and their subsequent merger with the government’s Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies (CPAS).
As many as 21 self-financing colleges, which were earlier affiliated to the varsity, have now been shifted to the society in accordance with a government decision. An order dated April 6, 2017 said that the self-financing institutions and their programmes had been handed over to CPAS.
Senior varsity officials said the asset value of these institutions would run into several crores. The local bodies concerned had handed over land to the varsity on condition that it would commence the courses and set up adequate infrastructure facilities for students. The buildings were constructed using varsity funds.
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The self-financing institutions that were de-linked from the varsity and merged with CPAS include the School of Medical Education, Kottayam; Institute of Library and Information Science, Kottayam; Institute of Communications and Journalism, Kottayam; College of Engineering, Muttom, Thodupuzha; School of Technology and Applied Sciences, Kottayam; College of Arts and Commerce, Chuttippara, Pathanamthitta; College of Technology and Applied Sciences, Edappally, Kochi; and 12 B.Ed colleges.
Syndicate members admitted that the de-linking of the institutions had caused a major dent on the varsity’s coffers. We used to earn around ₹2 crore annually after expenses from the School of Medical Education. The varsity will now have to pay salary and other perks to staff working with the self-financing institutions from its exchequer. It is expected to be around ₹4 crore annually. The salary and allowances of the said staffers were paid from the fund generated by the self-financing institutions earlier, they said.
Meanwhile, the varsity authorities pointed out that the government grant had to be scaled up considerably to make up for the fall in revenue after the de-linking and merger of the institutions with CPAS. The move to start its own open and distance education programmes forms part of measures being planned to improve the annual revenue.
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The varsity will provide affiliation to self-financing courses to be offered by CPAS in the 2017-18 academic year. The authorities have also permitted varsity employees working with the self-financing institutions to continue in their respective positions till July 15 on a request by the CPAS Director.