Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 27: Serious allegations of financial and administrative irregularities have surfaced against the Mangala Alumni Association of Mangalore University. The association has allegedly functioned without renewing its registration for 15 years, and collected mandatory fees from final-year students who were not yet alumni.
Elected president of the association, Ramakrishna Rao, has strongly condemned these lapses and demanded an investigation by a delegation of Mangalore University officials.
According to the allegations, the association, registered in 2006, has not renewed its registration since 2010. Despite this, it continued to operate. Furthermore, an alumni association fee was systematically included in the mandatory fee structure for final-year university students, forcing them to pay before even completing their degrees.
While the association's bylaws state that the maximum membership fee should be Rs 200, a sum of Rs 350 was reportedly collected from each student. Rao has questioned the role of the university's finance department, pointing out that such systemic collection and transfer of additional funds could not occur without the permission and oversight of the chief financial officers.
Questions raised over banking and transparency
Rao also raised concerns about how the association's bank accounts were allowed to operate for 16 years without valid registration documents or mandatory KYC updates by the respective banks.
Members were reportedly kept in the dark about the association's illegal status during annual general meetings. There is also a glaring lack of comprehensive records regarding member registrations, total funds collected from students, bank transactions, and the ultimate utilization of these funds.
Suspicious special meeting and monopoly
Adding to the controversy, the management board has scheduled a special meeting on September 19, 2026. Rao alleged that this meeting is an attempt to amend the bylaws to prevent ordinary members from contesting for office-bearer positions. This move is seen as a tactic by the current management to maintain control and evade accountability.
He also pointed out that in the nearly 20-year history of the Mangala Alumni Association, only three individuals have served as president, raising serious questions about transparency, leadership opportunities for ordinary members, and the monopolization of the administration.
Demands for immediate action
In light of these allegations, Rao has urged the District Registrar of Societies and the Karnataka State Higher Education Department to intervene immediately and stay the special meeting scheduled for September 19.
He has demanded a comprehensive and independent probe into the roles of the university's finance department, the association's management board, and the banks involved. Furthermore, he urged authorities to freeze the relevant bank accounts if necessary, conduct a thorough audit of the funds collected from students, and take strict legal action against those found guilty.