MUFA demands promotion orders for MKU lecturers
Madurai Kamaraj University Faculty Association has appealed to the State government to immediately process the promotion for the eligible lecturers in the university.
C. Muniyandi, general secretary, MUFA, said that about 100 lecturers, 85 assistant professors and 15 associate professors, were yet to receive their promotion orders despite their eligibility and participation in the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) process held in February and March 2024.
The non-receipt of promotions by a significant number of faculty members despite their eligibility and participation in the due process was against their employment, he added.
When the promotions were issued on time on the date of the order, the associate professors would have been promoted to professors by this time and they could have been eligible to receive several funds for their respective departments, he noted.
'In addition to the monetary perks of promotions, on the academic part, only professors are granted specific grants and projects from renowned institutions like the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),' he stated.
Only when the departments received grants for projects would the university regain the lost recognition, Mr. Muniyandi said.
'Once we represented the issue to the Department of Higher Education, we were informed that due to audit objections pending in the university, the promotions could not be issued to the eligible lecturers,' he added.
Questioning the rationale behind stopping promotions for the audit objections, Mr. Muniyandi noted that audit objections were matters of revenue and expenditure of the institution.
He asked whether admissions of students be stopped in the current academic year owing to the audit objections.
Also, when the promotions were not given on time, the ceiling for the lecturers for the intake of research scholars would be affected, he noted.
When a professor could guide eight research scholars, an associate professor could guide only six scholars at a time. When the delay in promotions stops the staff from taking in more scholars, would the scholars' life be not wasted who would be waiting for a guide for their research, he asked.
He stated that the promotion process was not merely a matter of administrative procedure but a crucial step towards ensuring equity, justice and inclusivity in academia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Bharat Gen, AI-based multimodal LLM for Indian languages, launched
New Delhi: Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh launched ' Bharat Gen ', an indigenously developed artificial intelligence-based multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) for Indian languages, here on Monday. Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and implemented through TIH Foundation for IoT (Internet of Things) and IoE (Internet of Everything) at IIT Bombay , Bharat Gen aims to revolutionize AI development across India's linguistic and cultural spectrum, Singh said. The initiative is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and brings together a consortium of leading academic institutions, experts, and innovators. Singh described Bharat Gen as a "national mission to create AI that is ethical, inclusive, multilingual, and deeply rooted in Indian values and ethos". The platform integrates text, speech, and image modalities, offering seamless AI solutions in 22 Indian languages. "This initiative will empower critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance, delivering region-specific AI solutions that understand and serve every Indian," Singh said. The minister recounted a success story from his own constituency Udhampur where an AI doctor communicates fluently in the patient's native language. "It not only builds trust but has a placebo-like psychological effect, enabling better care in remote regions connected with superspeciality hospitals across India," he said. Singh emphasised the transformative role of Generative AI in grassroots governance, citing the integration of multilingual feedback systems into platforms like CPGRAMS to enhance citizen engagement and grievance redressal.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- The Hindu
Air Chief Marshal expresses concern over delays in delivery of defence projects
Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), on Thursday (May 29, 2025) expressed concern over delays in the delivery of defence projects. He urged private industry to rise to the occasion, develop world-class products, and contribute alongside other stakeholders to 'making India a great nation'. 'Timeline is a big issue... not a single project that I can think of has been completed on time. This is something we have to look at. Why should we promise something which cannot be achieved? While signing the contract itself, sometimes we are sure that it is not going to come up, but we just sign the contract,' said the Air Chief at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Annual Business Summit 2025. Stating that it was a great opportunity for Indian private industry with the opening up of the defence sector, he said firms should rise to the occasion and join hands to make world-class military equipment, even if the profit is not up to their expectation. He called upon stakeholders to ensure that they did their best on their part as links in the bigger chain at the national level to plug any shortcomings. 'Building trust is not required with the armed forces, but retaining that trust depends on a lot of actions... we have to keep reinforcing that trust,' he said. Regarding the 'professionally executed' Operation Sindoor, the Air Chief described it as a national victory. He said that with the changing character of war and the introduction of new technologies, there was a need to realign the approach, which was already being done. 'I am sure, since we have been able to come up to the challenge till now, in future also we will be able to deliver the goods as a nation,' he said. Air Chief Marshal Singh stated that the government's decision to involve private industry in the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project was a 'big step,' which showed the kind of confidence the nation had in the private sector. According to him, Operation Sindoor showed the importance of having effective air power. 'As far as air power is concerned, we need to make sure that we have the capability plus the capacity. We cannot just talk about producing in India; we need to start designing and developing in India also. When it comes to producing in numbers, the capacity aspect comes in. We need to have this trust between the forces and the industry continued, we need to have communication continued, we need to be open... and forthright with each other, so that this relationship does not break down anywhere,' said the Air Chief. He noted that there were times in the past when doubts were raised about Indian industry, but over the last decade, this has changed substantially. 'The current situation in the world has made us realise that self-reliance is the only solution, but we have to be now-ready to be future-ready, that is the concern... what is required today is required today, so we need to quickly get our acts together, maybe get into some quick 'Make In India' programmes, so that we can achieve that now-ready part of it,' he said. Suggesting a possible mechanism for private players to increase their involvement in research and development (R&D) in the defence sector, he said initiatives also need to be taken to retain bright talent. Other participants of the ICC Business Summit had a more positive outlook on the state of Indian defence industry. Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, said that India was realising its rich maritime potential, with apex-level decisions and policies reflecting this broader approach. Addressing larger strategic goals, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh highlighted the government's ongoing reforms aimed at improving the defence manufacturing ecosystem. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Dr. Samir V. Kamat emphasised the role of private industry in driving indigenous research and development. 'Operation Sindoor demonstrated the vital role of technology in future warfare. While manufacturing remains important, the focus must also be on designing and developing our own systems. We invite private industries to invest in R&D. DRDO will partner and collaborate closely to make India a global leader in defence innovation,' he said.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- The Hindu
MUFA demands promotion orders for MKU lecturers
Madurai Kamaraj University Faculty Association has appealed to the State government to immediately process the promotion for the eligible lecturers in the university. C. Muniyandi, general secretary, MUFA, said that about 100 lecturers, 85 assistant professors and 15 associate professors, were yet to receive their promotion orders despite their eligibility and participation in the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) process held in February and March 2024. The non-receipt of promotions by a significant number of faculty members despite their eligibility and participation in the due process was against their employment, he added. When the promotions were issued on time on the date of the order, the associate professors would have been promoted to professors by this time and they could have been eligible to receive several funds for their respective departments, he noted. 'In addition to the monetary perks of promotions, on the academic part, only professors are granted specific grants and projects from renowned institutions like the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),' he stated. Only when the departments received grants for projects would the university regain the lost recognition, Mr. Muniyandi said. 'Once we represented the issue to the Department of Higher Education, we were informed that due to audit objections pending in the university, the promotions could not be issued to the eligible lecturers,' he added. Questioning the rationale behind stopping promotions for the audit objections, Mr. Muniyandi noted that audit objections were matters of revenue and expenditure of the institution. He asked whether admissions of students be stopped in the current academic year owing to the audit objections. Also, when the promotions were not given on time, the ceiling for the lecturers for the intake of research scholars would be affected, he noted. When a professor could guide eight research scholars, an associate professor could guide only six scholars at a time. When the delay in promotions stops the staff from taking in more scholars, would the scholars' life be not wasted who would be waiting for a guide for their research, he asked. He stated that the promotion process was not merely a matter of administrative procedure but a crucial step towards ensuring equity, justice and inclusivity in academia.
