Mahatma Gandhi University triples Syndicate sitting fee to ₹3,000

Mahatma Gandhi University’s newly reconstituted Syndicate has tripled the sitting fee for its members from ₹1,000 to ₹3,000, prompting protests from Left-backed employees’ organisations. The decision was issued in an order on Friday by the Syndicate, which was appointed by the United Democratic Front government. The body justified the increase by citing the nature and extent of members’ responsibilities.

It said members spent considerable time attending meetings, examining files and documents, participating in standing committees and taking decisions affecting the university’s functioning and development. The Syndicate also said members of other universities received higher sitting fees. The revised amount makes MGU Syndicate members the highest-paid among counterparts in Kerala’s four general universities.

The sitting fee is ₹750 at the University of Kerala, ₹1,250 at the University of Calicut and ₹600 at Kannur University. Left-wing employee groups criticised the timing, pointing to the university’s financial difficulties and administrative backlog. A former Syndicate member said similar proposals had been raised under the previous LDF-backed Syndicate but were not implemented because of the financial crisis.

The former member also said MGU’s large number of affiliated autonomous colleges had contributed to a significant fall in examination-fee revenue. The Mahatma Gandhi University Employees’ Association alleged that urgent files remained pending while the increase was approved. MGUEA president Joseph Abraham said only 70 of 236 agenda items at an August meeting had received decisions.

He cited pending matters including folders for distributing degree certificates and computers for office work. The association held a protest march on the campus on Saturday. The All Kerala Private College Teachers’ Association, another Left-backed organisation, is also planning protests, according to the report.