UVCE gasps for funds to stay afloat and ensure equitable opportunities.
Story so far: In March 2022, the Karnataka government made the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) autonomous and announced that it would be modelled on the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Recently, the protesting UVCE Teachers Association and a group of alumni pointed to the contrary.
- The alumni and teachers are lobbying for adequate funding. They say that the state government withholding funds is an attempt to make UVCE self-financed.
- With the shortage of funds, UVCE is struggling to remain financially viable. If it’s pushed to self-finance, the university will become unaffordable for marginalised and underprivileged populations.
Back and forth: The government’s allotment for UVCE in the 2023-24 budget is ₹22.4 crore. It left a deficit of ₹25.29 crore. The teachers have written to the state government, but they haven’t received a response yet.
- The Chairman of Governing Council, UVCE, is optimistic that the state will provide them with interim relief. After this, they can discuss the university’s long-term funding requirements.