Kuvempu University at Shankarghatta near Shivamogga.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Kuvempu University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sharath Ananthamurthy said the government of Karnataka released ₹15 crore for the pension of retired employees while the university had submitted a proposal seeking ₹29 crore.
The V-C said the government released grants for six universities considering the financial difficulty. He welcomed the government’s move.
“Kuvempu University has to pay pension to more than 300 retired employees. It has not been able to pay the pension for employees who retired in the last five years. Against the proposal for a grant of ₹29 crore, the government released ₹15 crore. The university continues to face a financial burden,” he stated.
Condemns counterpart in University of Mysore
Mr. Sharath Ananthamurthy took exception to University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor Prof. N.K. Lokanath’s suggestion that Kuvempu University was benefited more by the release of grants, which was reported by a section of the media.
“I strongly oppose his statement. Instead of presenting his demands before the government, passing casual remarks about other universities is condemnable,” said Mr. Sharath Ananthamurthy. He also stated that a permanent solution to the problem would be to incorporate the pension facility into the HRMS system.
Prof. Lokanath had stated that Mysore University and Karnataka University had put in a lot of effort for the grant. His university received ₹25 crore while the financial burden of ₹82 crore persists. He remarked that Mysore University and Karnataka University had put in a lot of effort for the grant while Kuvempu, Gulbarga and Mangaluru universities received higher grants though they did not need that much.
Published – January 19, 2026 03:48 pm IST
