Govt. takeover of BDU colleges welcomed

The State government’s decision to take over the constituent colleges of Bharatidasan University has been greeted with a sigh of relief by the varsity’s financial managers. The university is facing a drastic decline in revenue.

Almost all State universities have constituent colleges. Bharathidasan University, however, has more than others — 10 constituent colleges at Kurumbalur and Veppur in Perambalur district; Orthanadu in Thanjavur district; Lalgudi and Inamkulathur in Tiruchi district; Aranthangi in Pudukottai district; Thiruthuraipoondi and Nannilam in Tiruvarur district, and Vedaranyam and Kadambadi in Nagapattinam district.

Barring two or three colleges, the university bears substantial expenditure in running the remaining institutions. The fee from students is reportedly insufficient to foot the bill.

The university spends Rs. 16.35 crore a year towards salary component of teaching and non-teaching staff members of the 10 constituent colleges. It pays salary from the Establishment Fund.

Around 700 persons, including 362 faculty members, are on the roster. The university also takes care of other operational expenditure.

Once the State government issues formal order on its takeover, the university is expected to be free from the burden of payment of salary.

“It is a welcome decision. It will save a substantial sum to the university annually. It will help us to concentrate more on university development rather than on day-to-day administration of constituency colleges,” P. Manisankar, Vice-Chancellor, Bharathidasan University told The Hindu .

Sources said Higher Education Secretary Sunil Paliwal had convened a meeting of Vice-Chancellors in Chennai on June 11 to discuss the modalities of transferring control of the constituent colleges to the government.

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