MADURAI: As protests staged by employees and pensioners of the Madurai Kamaraj University(MKU) seeking release of their salaries and pensions for December and January entered its seventh day on Thursday, Principal Secretary to Higher Education Department A Karthik said that disbursal of funds is contingent on a report from the university registrar annulling appointments made through dubious means.
The MKU has been reeling under a financial crisis for the last five years due to over 6,000 audit objections. As a result, the higher education department stopped grants, and the university failed to generate income sources. This deprived the employees and pensioners of their remuneration for December and January, and they went on an indefinite strike.
For MKU Joint Action Committee Coordinator S Muthiah, the delay in payment has been a recurring issue. "If February is added, then we are yet to get salaries and pensions for three months. It is a blow to the dignity of employees and pensioners since we face difficulties in paying the house rent, groceries, children's education, and EMIs. It affects our mental and physical health. We work for a state-run university, and yet every month is a challenge," he told TNIE.
Muthiah added that despite the strike entering its seventh day, the protesters were not visited by MKU Vice-Chancellor J Kumar, or Registrar(i/c) M Ramakrishnan. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Minister for Higher Education K Kannappan also failed to address the issue.
On the condition of anonymity, an official from MKU said that the department has asked MKU authorities to fulfil certain conditions, including taking action as per the recommendation of the high-level committee led by retired justice Akbar Ali, and submitting a report to the government. Karthik has also instructed them to issue necessary orders, specifying the monetary benefits extended to those found ineligible as per the report and recover it from them, since it is mandatory. The authorities, however, have allegedly tried to give CAS promotions to such appointees.
Speaking to TNIE, Karthik said that the pending funds for MKU employees and pensioners are under process, and added that it will be released once the department receives action taken report on several issues, including cancellation of appointments made through dubious means.
In response, V-C Kumar said that four individuals, who worked as casual labourers with the MKU, got orders from the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to reinstate them. After the department sought details of those people, Registrar (i/c) Ramakrishnan travelled to Chennai along with the requested information.