{
  "id": 11678451,
  "title": "Red tape leaves UGC’s social inclusion scheme in limbo, leads to salary crisis",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/red-tape-leaves-ugcs-social-inclusion-scheme-in-limbo-leads-to-salary",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T12:08:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/education/red-tape-leaves-ugcs-social-inclusion-scheme-in-limbo-leads-to-salary-crisis/article71540281.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seven months into the current financial year, 24 central universities remain awaiting the renewal of the University Grants Commission's (UGC) flagship scheme for teaching and research on marginalized communities. The Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion in Universities (CSSIU) began as a five-year plan in 2007-08 and now operates as an annual UGC scheme from April to March. A Ministry of Education reply stated that the proposal for the CSSIU Scheme's continuation for the financial year 2026-27 is under process.\n\nProminent universities like Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Millia Islamia, and the University of Hyderabad, among others, conduct two-year Master's programs and five-year PhD courses under the CSSIU. These centres also undertake specialized outreach activities focused on tribal and disadvantaged populations. Because the scheme is renewed annually, administrative delays have led to payrolls issues in universities. For financial year 2026-27, while the renewal order is still pending, teaching and non-teaching staff working in these centres have experienced delayed or unpaid salaries. A professor teaching in one of these centres reported that salaries for August 2026 arrived after a 20-day delay, but September salaries have been withheld entirely, pending the extension order from the center.\n\nNon-payment of salaries has historically been a recurring problem between 2019 and 2024, causing hardships for faculty and non-teaching staff. This uncertainty has led to faculty and student departures, undermining the centers' academic objectives. In response to The Hindu's queries, the Education Ministry stated that financial assistance under the CSSIU scheme operates on a reimbursement basis, with ₹26.05 crore released to 18 centers for the 2024-25 period and a provisional grant of ₹7.59 crore released in advance for 2025-26, totaling ₹33.64 crore. However, settlement for the 2025-26 financial year is still pending.\n\nThe CSSIU scheme's critical role in researching and advocating for marginalized communities has been undermined due to its routine annual extensions. Long-serving staff, with over 15 years of uninterrupted service, have been deprived of fundamental employment protections, performance appraisals, and career promotions. Universities have repeatedly called for the structural integration of these centers into the university framework. Jamia Millia Islamia's Registrar, Mahtab Alam Rizvi, urged the UGC to merge sanctioned teaching and non-teaching posts of the CSSIU into the university's regular establishment, marking the third official reminder to the UGC.",
  "summary": "Prominent universities that conduct two-year Master’s programmes, five-year PhD courses under the centre include Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Millia Islamia, the University of Hyderabad, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Panjab University amongst others",
  "key_points": [
    "Seven months into financial year, 24 central universities await CSSIU renewal.",
    "Teaching and non-teaching staff face delayed or unpaid salaries since August 2026.",
    "Ministry says CSSIU scheme operates on reimbursement basis, ₹33.64 crore released."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}