The Mysore University has proposed to approach IT and BT companies like Infosys and Wipro for funding its new schemes. The Centre had made a special grant of Rs 100 crore after recognising the university as a ‘centre of excellence’. Taking advantage of this grant, the university has established a centre of excellence in bio-diversity, bioprospecting and sustainable development, besides its infrastructural facilties.
It needs around Rs 100 crore to Rs 300 crore more for taking up new schemes. Also, its requirements for its overall expenses is around Rs 110 crore per year. However, the government grant of Rs 59 crore fails to cover even the salary and pension of its employees. Consequently, it has to mobilise an additional Rs 50 crore, university’s new vice-chancellor K S Rangappa said. The former vice-chancellor of the Karnataka State Open University said, after taking charge of his new position, he had convinced the state government to release an additional Rs 25 crore to meet its expenses.
Saying that he would make efforts to take the Mysore University to higher levels, the professor outlined some of the proposals he had in mind. It included a proposal to start outreach programmes.
More grants had been sought from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, for academic and research areas, improve quality of education and increase scientific research by upgrading teaching and non-teaching staff levels. Another proposal was to establish an international centre for biology and drug discovery for Rs 50 crore and introduction of monthly lecture series by inviting distinguished scientists and research scholars.
To oversee the centenary celebrations of the University in 2010, Rangappa added that a high-power committee had been set up.
