Sirsa university on the verge of shutdown amid Rs 155-cr deficit, says Sampat Singh

Former Haryana Finance Minister and senior Congress leader Prof Sampat Singh has sounded the alarm over the deepening financial crisis at Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa, warning that the institution may shut down unless the state government steps in with immediate aid.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Prof Singh said, “There is a serious misunderstanding within the government that educational institutions can become financially self-sufficient without any state support. This flawed belief is pushing universities like CDLU towards collapse.”

Founded in 2003 to provide affordable, quality higher education in one of Haryana’s most educationally backward regions, CDLU is now teetering on the edge of closure, Singh said. He revealed that the university is battling a massive budget deficit of Rs 155.29 crore for the current financial year.

Despite increasing tuition fees and availing a Rs 27 crore state loan, the university expects to generate just Rs 59.20 crore in revenue — far short of its total estimated expenditure of Rs 193.81 crore. “The financial position is clearly unsustainable,” said the former minister.

Staff salaries have not been paid for the past three months, and the university’s debt continues to mount. Singh pointed to a decade of poor governance, saying, “Jobs were outsourced to 535 unskilled workers through an agency that lacked transparency, while 99 essential non-teaching positions remain vacant.”

Of the 141 sanctioned teaching posts, only 68 have been filled. Singh alleged that a Vice-Chancellor, who was temporarily holding additional charge for six months, appointed 20 individuals — mostly from his own village — in violation of recruitment norms.

He also disclosed that the university dipped into its reserved pension and infrastructure funds to the tune of Rs 46.38 crore to keep operations going. A newly constructed IT and computer centre, built at a cost of Rs 9.80 crore, remains non-functional due to lack of funds.

“This is not just about one university. Signs of financial distress are beginning to show in other government-run universities across Haryana. If immediate corrective steps are not taken, the crisis will only deepen,” Singh cautioned.

He urged the government to release Rs 50 crore urgently, followed by another Rs 100 crore during the year, to rescue CDLU from imminent collapse. “The Legislative Assembly Committee must investigate and hold accountable those responsible for this gross mismanagement,” he demanded.