MADURAI: A public discussion on the problems faced by Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) was organised in Madurai today-August 17th 2025- by ‘Save MKU Coalition’ to know the specific issues of varsity staff and students.
Representatives from various associations had participated in this marathon meeting which lasted for six hours and they aired their grievances. Various issues related to university’s financial crisis, students grievances, research scholars requirements and the needs of teaching and non-teaching staff were discussed in the meeting.
Speaking to reporters about the outcome of public discussion, the Save MKU Coalition team has said that the staff and students are deeply anguished over the present plight of this university and they want the State government to find a permanent solution.
“By citing audit objections of the past, the government is now not releasing block grants to MKU. So, our demand is to form a separate committee for audit objections and the present staff should not be punished for past mistakes if any. We are reiterating our appeal that there should be timely payment of salaries and pension every month,” Dr.R.Murali, secretary, Save MKU Coalition has said along with other members including Dr.A.Srinivasan, Prof.S.Krishnaswamy and Dr.P.Rajamanickam.
They pointed out that the MKU which received a block grant of Rs.339 crores in the year 1999 has got only Rs.8 crores in 2024-25. Another demand made in today’s meeting is that a special Syndicate meeting of the varsity must be convened to approve awarding of Ph.D. degrees for 150 candidates who are waiting for more than one year.
Also, resolutions that were passed today include conducting Senate election for graduate constituencies and it was demanded that 429 SC/ST backlog vacancies of various posts in the university must be filled. For the students, an important issue was raised urging the university authorities to set up students’ grievance redressal forum in the campus.
“We made a sincere beginning today to find a solution for MKU issues. The grievances list will be submitted to the concerned officers and to the government with a prime demand that a special corpus fund should be given to MKU to meet its salary and pension expenses every month,” Dr.R.Murali has said at the press meet.
