In a stark warning that has sent shockwaves through the academic community, the heads of 17 government-funded universities in Rajasthan have raised an alarm over an escalating financial crisis, stating that higher education standards face an imminent collapse without immediate state intervention. The Vice Chancellors made this urgent plea during a virtual meeting held with Chief Secretary V Srinivas on Saturday, painting a grim picture of institutions on the brink.
Universities in Survival Mode: A Desperate Plea
The virtual meeting revealed shocking accounts of the deteriorating financial health of these premier institutions. Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur has reportedly been forced to take loans just to disburse staff salaries, a move highlighting the depth of the crisis. Meanwhile, two prominent universities in Udaipur—Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology (MPUAT) and Mohanlal Sukhadia University (MLSU)—are contemplating the extreme measure of selling land assets to keep their operations running.
Officials present stated that universities are now merely "operating in survival mode." The situation is so dire that even routine expenses have become a monumental challenge. A Vice Chancellor disclosed that over 60% of teaching and non-teaching positions across these institutions lie vacant, retired employees are awaiting unpaid arrears, and basic maintenance work has ground to a halt due to a lack of funds.
Severe Impact on Salaries, Research, and Infrastructure
The financial crunch has crippled core university functions. Salary payments, building upkeep, critical research work, and essential academic activities have all been severely compromised. In a symbolic act reflecting the desperation, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University (MDSU) in Ajmer was forced to lock a portion of its main administrative building because it could not afford its maintenance.
The ripple effects extend to student welfare and academic progress. Officials from Bikaner Technical University and the Ayurvedic University in Jodhpur emphasised that the crisis has severely impacted research output, stalled the launch of new academic programmes, and degraded essential student services. This multi-faceted breakdown threatens the very quality and reputation of higher education in the state.
An Imminent Shutdown Warning
Rajasthan has 29 state-funded universities, with 17 falling under the higher education department and six under the agriculture department. The Vice Chancellors collectively warned that without swift and substantial financial assistance from the state government, many of these institutions "may soon be forced to shut down."
The meeting with the Chief Secretary was a direct appeal to prevent this catastrophic outcome. The heads of these institutions have underscored that the collapse of higher education standards is not a distant threat but an imminent reality if their operational funds are not increased immediately. The ball is now in the state government's court to rescue its public university system from a financial abyss.
