Mangalore University Pension Revision Sparks Outrage Among Retired Faculty
Retired lecturers of Mangalore University have voiced serious concerns over significant anomalies in the recent pension revision process, revealing that the supposed update has failed to deliver any financial increase and, in numerous cases, has actually placed retirees at a substantial disadvantage. The university implemented revisions for teachers who retired between July 1, 2022, and July 31, 2024, issuing formal intimations accordingly. However, the expected enhancement in pension benefits has not materialized, leaving many former educators in a precarious financial position.
Government Order Leads to Unjust Outcomes
According to the retirees, any revision in salary or pension should logically result in at least a marginal increase. Instead, their pensions have remained stagnant at pre-revision levels, directly in line with a controversial Karnataka government order dated June 30, 2025. In a strongly worded release, Manjunatha Pattabhi, a retired senior professor and former chairman of the materials science department, alongside KS Jayappa, former professor of marine geology, expressed deep resentment over these anomalies. They emphasized that the current situation has created widespread injustice among retired faculty members who dedicated their careers to education.
Structural Flaws in the Revision Process
Teachers in state government educational institutions who draw UGC, ICAR, or AICTE pay scales are classified as state government employees and, consequently, as state government pensioners post-retirement. The revision was based on the 7th Pay Commission recommendations of the state government, which mandated pension updates effective from July 1, 2022, with monetary benefits commencing from August 1, 2024. While this benefit was extended to teachers who retired prior to July 1, 2022, the revision for those retiring after this date was executed through a separate order dated June 30, 2025. This bifurcation has led to significant delays and complications across several universities, primarily due to anomalies arising from the order itself.
Critical Disparities in Dearness Allowance Calculations
A major point of contention highlighted by the retirees involves the treatment of dearness allowance (DA). For those who retired before July 1, 2022, the DA applicable before revision was merged into the revised pension, accompanied by an additional increase. This integration has resulted in a substantially lower DA component post-revision for this group. Conversely, for teachers who retired between July 1, 2022, and July 31, 2024, the revised pension has been fixed at the same level as the pre-revised pension, without similar adjustments. Consequently, these individuals are receiving total pensions that are reportedly lower by up to Rs 50,000 compared to their counterparts who retired earlier, creating a stark and unfair financial divide.
Urgent Calls for Government Intervention
The retirees have pinpointed the June 30, 2025 government order as the root cause of these anomalies and have issued a stern warning that unless immediate rectification occurs, the injustice will persist. They stress that pension is not a discretionary grant but a rightful benefit earned through years of dedicated service. In their appeal, they have urgently called upon the state government to address these critical issues comprehensively and ensure equitable treatment for all affected pensioners, safeguarding their financial security and dignity in retirement.
