University of Madras staff and faculty to receive their salary today

Staff and faculty of University of Madras protesting on the campus on Monday.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU

The staff and faculty of the University of Madras will receive their salaries on Tuesday, Higher Education Secretary C. Samayamoorthi has said. The staff began a sit-in protest at the university’s centenary building on June 30, and continued it on Monday.

The university usually pays salaries by the month-end. However, the lack of a Vice-Chancellor, besides the steep cuts in funds imposed by the government’s Finance Department earlier this year, had forced authorities to postpone payment.

Mr. Samayamoorthi said discussions were on to improve the university’s finances. There were proposals to increase student strength in departments, which have so far admitted only a handful of candidates, he said.

On the need for cuts in the annual budget, he said: “The government has given its share of funds to the university. We will also get pending dues. We have to allow essential expenditure, but the university sought to make some purchases, as budget was allocated for these. We decided against these. Integration will help reduce expenses.”