Latest news with #PLDharma
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
MU issues physical marks cards to graduates
Mangaluru: Mangalore University has fulfilled the long-pending demand for physical marks cards for candidates who graduated under the National Education Policy-2020, where marks cards were issued digitally. PL Dharma, vice-chancellor, and H Devendrappa, registrar (evaluation), said that after obtaining special permission from the higher education department and with the support of UT Khader, speaker of assembly, the university has met the demand for issuing physical marks cards. This announcement was made during the first general academic council meeting held on Friday. Dharma stated that marks cards were already sent to the respective colleges. A total of 13,517 marks cards for undergraduate students out of over 18,000 candidates were printed and issued. In the postgraduate section, a total of 1,637 marks cards were printed and issued. "Close to 5,000 undergraduate marks cards have not been issued due to errors in the data. We are trying to rectify this and issue them at the earliest. The data received from UUCMS contains errors," said Dharma, adding that the university is not charging for the issuance of mark cards. The issuance of physical marks cards will bring much-needed relief to graduates who faced inconvenience due to the digitally issued ones. Dharma mentioned that many graduates complained as they were unable to secure jobs or pursue higher education abroad. During the meeting, the revised syllabus of various courses, autonomous status for Mahatma Gandhi College, Udupi, revised sitting fees, travel allowances, and other allowances for syndicate members and officials were discussed. The cash-strapped university has increased the syndicate member sitting fee from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000. Internal probe under progress for Belapu Mangalore University allegedly diverted about Rs 8.5 crore funds sanctioned for the development of the PG centre in Belapu in Udupi district. Instead of utilising the funds for the project, the university used them for an international hostel and other activities, violating the govt order. Dharma said that an internal inquiry in this regard is in progress. One report has already been submitted. "We still need at least Rs 12 crore to complete the Belapu project and have already spent about Rs 38.3 crore. We have planned to start unique courses, including one related to marine and coastal security," he said.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
MU will stick to rulebook for awarding honorary doctorates
Mangaluru: Facing criticism from progressive thinkers and various sections of society for awarding honorary doctorates to wealthy businessmen over truly deserving individuals, Mangalore University has now decided that it will strictly adhere to the rulebook while selecting candidates for honorary doctorates. There are eligibility criteria listed under Section 69 of the Karnataka University Act, 2000, to select an individual for the degree. With these repeated incidents bringing disrepute, the university, in its recent syndicate meeting, planned to adhere to the rulebook to reduce further embarrassment. "The reputation of Mangalore University came under serious scrutiny after receiving backlash from associations and individuals on social media and print media," said advocate Suresh Kumar B Navoor, a syndicate member. "To address this recurring lapse of selecting candidates without adhering to proper guidelines, I raised the issue at the last syndicate meeting. Several members, including myself, strongly voiced that this practice must end. Honorary doctorates should be awarded strictly to deserving individuals as per the rulebook. If no suitable candidate is found, the convocation can proceed without conferring any honorary degree, a practice that has been followed in the past and can be adopted again going forward," he said. A total of 11 applications from aspirants were received in the last convocation for honorary causa. Another syndicate member alleged that applications are first discussed and shortlisted at the syndicate meeting. However, this time no such protocol was followed. The senior university officials directly approached the governor, who is also the chancellor of the university, and finalised three names. In the process, the syndicate body, the highest decision-making body of the university, was kept in the dark about the process. The KUA 2000 was not followed. PL Dharma, vice-chancellor of MU, said that they are trying to make the entire process more transparent from next time. Besides, the syndicate body of the university had asked to furnish details of individuals who received honorary causa in the past, and we have given them. "It is also not necessary that we have to award honorary doctorates in every convocation," he said.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mangalore University allocates seed grant for research
Mangaluru: Mangalore University (MU) has, for the first time, earmarked a total of Rs 5 lakh as a seed grant to encourage research on campus. This allocation is part of its budget for the financial year 2025-26 that was presented during the first special academic council meeting held on Thursday. Stressing the rationale behind the fund allocation, PL Dharma, vice-chancellor of MU, said that this initiative aims to fund a minimum of five of the best research proposals invited from the permanent faculty of MU this time. Initially, the plan is to allocate a maximum of Rs 1 lakh for each research proposal received from the faculty. Closure of courses with less demand Dharma, when asked about the closure of several UG courses, said that at University College, Hampankatta, a constituent college of MU, the BA travel and tourism management course has been stopped and merged with BBA. MU will also strengthen BBA courses by increasing admissions and offering a one-semester internship experience. The University College will offer a BCA course from the next academic year. "It has been decided that any courses under constituent colleges of MU with fewer than 30 admissions are not economically viable and will be closed from the next academic year (2025-26). The reason is that they don't generate income, and secondly, justice is not done to students since all the faculty here are guest faculty with not much academic experience. The academic exposure will be less," he added, stressing the reason behind course closures. MU has also decided to shift all PG courses offered at constituent colleges to the Konaje campus from next year. Only the International Business MBA offered at Evening College, Hampankatta, will remain as it has a good response, he added, noting that MU has requested the govt to take over constituent colleges under it. Fresh academic year from July end Dharma said that considering all 34 state universities, MU is one month ahead of them in the academic schedule. However, despite this, it cannot reopen on June 9, as it will start the second, fourth, and sixth-semester examinations on that day. MU has also not received any official communication on the same. "We are considering starting the fresh academic year tentatively from the last week of July. It is not at all possible to start in June," he stressed.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
University College may discontinue some humanities electives
Mangaluru: The century-old University College, Hampankatta, is considering to discontinue some of its humanities course electives after witnessing a dip in admissions. This has raised concerns among the student fraternity as well as senior teaching faculty. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to sources from the college, fewer than 15 students enrolled in travel and tourism, Hindi, English, and journalism subjects so far. Due to the mounting financial burden, the college, which is directly under the control of Mangalore University (MU), is now planning to stop those courses. One of the faculty members in the humanities department said that the college, without any approval from the syndicate body of MU, decided not to give applications for the BA tourism and travel management course. The course remains closed for the next academic year. Similarly, it is the same with Hindi and journalism subjects. The college also stopped issuing applications for English literature; however, the same was resumed after some retired professors started questioning the rationale behind it. A source added that the college principal and officials at Mangalore University argue that to run a course, it needs a minimum of 30 students in each course combination. However, as per the department of collegiate education, the requirement is 15 students, and the same applies to all colleges, including University College. Another guest faculty member questioned that last year all these courses, which the college is planning to close down, received good admissions with more than 15 students. "When we questioned the reason behind the closure of tourism and travel management course to vice-chancellor PL Dharma, he answered that the same has been offered in the BBA course. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, both courses are not the same," said the guest faculty, adding that MU already closed down some of the postgraduate courses, and the same should not be done to UG courses. "With closure, guest faculty will lose their jobs as well," said a guest faculty member. Ganapathi Gowda S, principal of the college, denied the closure of any electives in the BA course at the moment. "The admissions are ongoing and applications have been received. To date, we have not taken any official decision to discontinue any electives," said Gowda.
