Focusing on discussing various issues affecting Osmania University and proposing solutions, a round table conference, Save Osmania University was organised on June 15, Thursday. Retired professors, students, PhD scholars, researchers and experts participated in the conference organised by Save Osmania University Legacy (SOUL) in association with Social Democratic Forum (SDF) and Vaidya Parirakshan Vedika, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
The main concerns include the alarming increase in PhD fees, which has been hiked from Rs 2,000 to Rs 20,000 for Social Sciences and Rs 2,500 to Rs 25,000 for Sciences, as well as concerns regarding fee hikes for postgraduate (PG) courses. Participants also highlighted challenges such as the allocation of meritorious research scholars to external supervisors from other institutions, the lack of support systems like hostels, and the absence of quality research journals.
Professors concerns
Prof K Lakshminarayana from the University of Hyderabad (UoH) raised concerns about the significant reduction in budget allocations for educational institutions. He highlighted the non-appointment of teachers and the proliferation of private universities, emphasising the urgent need to address these problems to protect students' interests.
Similarly, retired Professor M Kodandaram from Osmania University shared his experiences and shed light on critical issues such as high mess bills for PG students, inadequate hostel facilities, difficulties faced by research guides, and the lack of research grants. He stressed the importance of providing greater support to enhance students' skills and improve their competitiveness.
Further, Convener of the Social Democratic Forum, Akunuri Murali, appealed to the Vice-Chancellor of Osmania University to adopt a democratic and student-friendly approach. He called upon the Chief Minister to visit the campus and listen to the students' problems, urging an end to the constant police presence that disrupts the academic environment.
Additionally, Murali also expressed dissatisfaction with unreasonable fee hikes and the allocation of research scholars/research guides from unrelated domains. Several attendees expressed their outrage over the challenges faced by Osmania University despite its central location in the city. Concerns about the decline in Osmania University's ranking in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) were also expressed.
Moreover, Sri Kota Srinivas, a PhD research student at Osmania University, strongly opposed the Telangana Teachers Recruitment Board Bill, which goes against UGC norms. He expressed concerns about the erosion of campus democracy and criticised the dictatorial attitudes of officials associated with the education department, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
