The decision of the University of Calicut Syndicate to transfer its fixed deposit accounts from State Bank of India to the State Treasury has riled staff and teachers’ unions affiliated to the Congress, who have termed it a “mysterious act” as it comes against the backdrop of the financial crisis being faced by the State government.
Functionaries of the Congress-affiliated Kerala Private College Teachers Association (KPCTA) said on Tuesday that the decision, taken at a Syndicate meeting on December 2, would affect the autonomy of the university. KPCTA State secretary Ummer Farooq and State vice-president Biju John said in a release that the interest rate offered by the State Treasury was one per cent less than what was offered by SBI. In that context, the move to transfer around Rs. 160 crore to the treasury was mysterious. They pointed out that the university staff and pensioners might find their salary and pension getting delayed as the institution was already facing a shortage of funds. The number of courses under the distance education stream had been considerably reduced affecting the income generated from students’ fee. The KPCTA claimed that the university might have to increase the fees of the regular students to increase its funds.
Congress-aligned Senate members such as V.M. Chacko and P. Sulfi claimed that the shortage of funds might also affect the conduct of exams. They alleged that the decision was aimed at helping the State government as the Syndicate now has only members nominated by the ruling party. The Syndicate elections are yet to be held. The pro-Congress Calicut University Staff Organisation too has objected to the move.
However, L.G. Lijeesh, Syndicate member, told The Hindu that there was nothing unusual in the decision. “As the per the statute, the funds can be deposited either in the State Treasury or in SBI. And, we are not depositing the entire amount, but only a part of it. It is safer and more beneficial,” he said. Mr. Lijeesh said that there had been a proposal before the university to include more banks on the list of the financial institutions where its funds can be deposited. There was no question of the salary and pension getting delayed, he added.
