####New Vice Chancellor Prioritises Students, Pension Reforms and Academic Excellence at MLSU

Udaipur: Mohanlal Sukhadia University has received a new direction with the appointment of its new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kailash Daga, who officially assumed charge recently. In his first detailed interaction, Prof. Daga reflected on the challenges before the university, including pension issues, pending administrative matters, academic reforms, and the implementation of the National Education Policy.

Prof. Daga said his priority remains students, teachers, and the smooth functioning of the university. He drew attention by scheduling the media interaction only after official university working hours, stating that university work should never be disturbed for interviews or other activities.

“Work is Worship,” Says Vice Chancellor

Calling “Work is Worship” one of his guiding principles, Prof. Daga said administrative responsibilities and student welfare are more important than ceremonial engagements. He added that after office hours, discussions could be held in a relaxed environment without affecting university operations.

Student Helpline May Be Revived for Greater Convenience

During the interaction, the issue of the university’s discontinued student helpline was also raised. The helpline had earlier proved highly beneficial for students across the Udaipur division, allowing them to receive important academic and administrative information over phone calls without repeatedly visiting the university campus.

Responding positively, Vice Chancellor Prof. Kailash Daga said he had received information about the facility for the first time and assured that the matter would be reviewed in detail. He stated that if the helpline is found useful for students and operationally feasible, efforts would be made to restart it. The move is expected to provide major relief to students regarding examinations, admissions, certificates, and other university-related queries while promoting a more student-friendly administration.

Pension Crisis Biggest Challenge for Universities

The Vice Chancellor openly discussed the pension crisis being faced by universities across Rajasthan. Referring to his previous tenure in Jodhpur, he said retired employees there were forced to protest for pending pensions during extreme summer conditions.

Prof. Daga revealed that even his own pension had remained pending for four months before taking charge at MLSU. He stressed that pension issues cannot be solved permanently merely by selling university land and called for long-term financial planning.

Focus on Financial Reforms and Revenue Generation

The Vice Chancellor indicated that several innovative financial reforms would be explored to strengthen the university’s economic condition. He suggested revising inspection fee structures for private colleges and improving coordination with alumni, industries, skill development programmes, and self-financed courses.

He also confirmed that Vice Chancellors of Rajasthan’s older universities — Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur — are in discussion to jointly work on solutions to the pension crisis.

Action on Pending Land and Administrative Issues

Prof. Daga assured that he would study the pending Champa Bagh land issue and other disputed university land matters in detail. He said any obstacle preventing revenue generation or university development would be addressed in the interest of the institution.

Positive Stand on Contract Employees

Discussing the issue of contractual employees, Prof. Daga acknowledged the challenges faced by such workers in universities. He appreciated that MLSU directly pays many contractual workers instead of involving contractors, which reduces exploitation and financial irregularities.

Roadmap for NAAC Improvement and Academic Growth

The Vice Chancellor said MLSU aims to improve further in NAAC rankings and move towards higher academic standards. He emphasised long-term planning over short-term announcements and said the university administration has already begun preparing an action plan for maintaining timely academic sessions and examinations.

Strong Support for National Education Policy 2020

Prof. Daga strongly supported the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and described it as a transformative step for India’s education system. He said the policy would help India move away from the colonial-era Macaulay education system and restore pride in Indian knowledge traditions.

Highlighting concepts such as multidisciplinary learning, skill development, startups, multilingual education, and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), he said the policy has the potential to make India a global knowledge leader again by 2047.

Focus on Results Rather Than Announcements

On issues like delayed academic sessions and changes in PhD regulations, Prof. Daga said he would first study the existing system thoroughly before making decisions. He added that his administration believes more in delivering results than making premature announcements.

The Vice Chancellor concluded by assuring that all pending university matters, including pension cases, examination reforms, land disputes, and student concerns, would be reviewed systematically in the coming months.