KOCHI: The authorities of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS), Kalady, have decided to review the requirement of guest faculty members in the new academic year following a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that the varsity engaged teachers on contract far in excess of the prescribed ceiling in 2024-25.
The contract of the existing guest faculty members will be renewed only after an assessment of the requirement in each department, especially in the wake of the finding by the CAG. The audit examination of staff strength records for 2024-25 revealed that the university had engaged temporary teachers far in excess of the prescribed ceiling and without obtaining the mandatory government sanction, according to sources.
The audit found that the varsity has 136 permanent teachers, while there were 159 guest faculty members. An amount of ₹1.55 crore was disbursed as remuneration for the excess temporary teaching staff during the year 2024-25, calculated at the monthly rate of ₹35,000 per guest lecturer, it said.
The CAG pointed out that the excess appointment of temporary teachers, non-maintenance of the cadre ratio prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and disparities in student intake demonstrated weak academic planning, poor establishment control, and persistent non-compliance with UGC Regulations.
