Bangalore University takes Academic Council truants to task

It is a final call from the Bangalore University to the members who are remaining absent from the varsity’s Academic Council meetings. The officials of the university informed DNA that all the Academic Council members who failed to attend the last three meetings would be issued notices.

Officials said that seven members remained absent in the meetings.

“We have decided to send notices to these members. After the notices, we will write to the government to remove the absentees from the Academic Council,” said N Prabhu Dev, vice-chancellor, Bangalore University.

At its meeting held on July 27, 2009, the Academic Council had unanimously decided to terminate the absentees.

Prabhu Dev had even told the media that the university would not bother even if the absentees decided to move the court or sought the state government’s intervention.

Now, the university authorities have decided to implement the decision. “We have prepared a list of absentees in the last three meetings,” informed an official.

The Academic Council has 36 members. The quorum required for the council to conduct proceedings is 18. “Without the presence of the minimum number members we cannot take any major decisions,” explained the official.

As per the documents regarding the last four meetings available with DNA, a majority of the members who did not attend the meetings were MLAs, MLCs and top officials of the higher education department. Some of the professors and heads of departments also missed two meetings but attended the third one.

The members who attend the meeting get their allowances. The university pays Rs400 as sitting fee and Rs250 as conveyance to the members taking part in meetings. But those under UGC pay scales are not eligible to receive the benefit.