Seven months into the financial year, 24 central universities are still waiting for the renewal of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) flagship social inclusion scheme, leaving faculty salaries unpaid and research projects on hold.
The scheme funds the Centres for the Study of Social Inclusion in Universities (CSSIU), which focus on teaching and research related to marginalised communities. Initially launched in 2007–08 as a five‑year plan, it has since been renewed annually from April to March. However, bureaucratic delays this year have left institutions struggling to sustain operations.
Prominent universities such as Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Millia Islamia, University of Hyderabad, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, and Panjab University are among those affected. Faculty members warn that the uncertainty is undermining critical academic work on equity, inclusion, and social justice — areas central to India’s higher education mission.
Without timely funding, salaries remain pending, and ongoing projects risk being abandoned. Academics argue that the credibility of the scheme is at stake, as repeated delays erode trust in institutional support for social inclusion.
The crisis underscores the urgent need for streamlined processes and long‑term planning to ensure that initiatives aimed at empowering disadvantaged groups are not derailed by administrative red tape.
