Mahatma Gandhi University’s new Syndicate has given itself a three-fold hike in sitting fee, raising it from ₹1,000 to ₹3,000 and triggering protests from Left-backed employees’ organisations over the timing of the move.
In an order issued on Friday, the recently reconstituted Syndicate, appointed by the UDF government, raised the sitting fee.
The Syndicate has justified the increase citing the “nature and extent of the responsibilities entrusted to the members”. It said members devote considerable time and effort to attending Syndicate meetings, examining files and documents, participating in Standing Committees and taking decisions on matters crucial to the functioning and development of the university.
It also pointed out that Syndicate members of other universities are paid higher sitting fees and said the enhancement was warranted considering the responsibilities involved.
The revised fee makes MGU Syndicate members the highest-paid among their counterparts in the State’s four general universities. The sitting fee is ₹750 at the University of Kerala, ₹1,250 at the University of Calicut and ₹600 at Kannur University. Before the MGU hike, Calicut University had the highest sitting fee among the four.
The hike has drawn sharp criticism from Left-wing employees’ organisations, which questioned the timing of the decision amid the university’s financial difficulties and administrative backlog.
“Proposals to increase sitting fee had been raised during the tenure of the LDF-backed Syndicate as well. However, the hike was not implemented due to the university’s financial crisis. MGU has the highest number of autonomous colleges under its jurisdiction, resulting in a significant decline in revenue from examination fees,” said a former Syndicate member.
The Mahatma Gandhi University Employees’ Association (MGUEA), a Left-wing employees’ organisation, alleged that the fee was increased even as several files requiring urgent action by the Syndicate remained pending. These included matters relating to the purchase of folders for distributing degree certificates to students and computers for office operations.
“Although four Syndicate meetings have been held within two months of the new syndicate assuming office, decisions have not been made on several files. For instance, out of the 236 items on the agenda of the meeting held in August, decisions were taken on only 70. No decisions are being taken on several administrative and academic files,” said Joseph Abraham, president, MGUEA.
The union staged a protest march on the university campus on Saturday against the hike. Hundreds of employees, including women, took part in the march from the Pareeksha Bhavan to the Administration Block.
The All Kerala Private College Teachers’ Association (AKPCTA), the Left-wing teachers’ organisation, is also planning protests in the coming days.
