Case of Gujarat University’s missing fund Culture shock!
Colleges collected Rs 4.3 cr in six years as fee for cultural events from students, but most of them did not remit it to university as per rule
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, August 24, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=2&contentid=2012082420120824003351338196c8ee3)
This may come as a shocker to many, particularly college students who have been paying their fee regularly. Most of the colleges collect fee for cultural activities every term but do not deposit it with Gujarat University with which they are affiliated.
This, when the university has passed a resolution mentioning that half of the amount collected for this purpose should be remitted to it within a month of the beginning of the term. What looks even more baffling is that more than six years after the resolution was passed, no concrete effort was made by its officials to oversee collection of this amount and maintenance of records of this fund.
On the face of it, Rs 20 collected from every student for a term of six months may not look too big an amount, but the total comes to more than Rs 4.3 crore for six years as there are more than 3.6 lakh students in the 377 colleges affiliated with Gujarat University.
NO MONITORING DEPT
Mirror learnt about these irregularities through a series of RTI applications it filed with the university authorities over a period of a year and a half to find out about the defaulting colleges.
It came to light that there was no department in the university to monitor or manage the manage the records pertaining to funds being received, if any, from various institutes under this head.
In fact, various departments which ought to be looking into the issue were quick to pass the buck. On August 16, 2011 and later on December 12, 2011, Mirror filed RTI applications with Gujarat University, seeking details of the colleges which had not deposited culture activities fee for five years.
The applications also sought to know the amount the university had that it could spend on youth festival. In his reply, Assistant Director in Youth Welfare Department V K Chavda said that the detail was not available with his department.
He also said that the record could be procured from Accounts Department. Later, in response to an appeal filed before the then incharge registrar B V Patel, Chief Accountant Minesh Shah mentioned that the details should have been maintained by Youth and Welfare Department.
He also added that Accounts Department would ask Youth and Welfare Department to provide relevant information. Expressing concern, Syndicate Member Manish Doshi mentioned that as per provisions, all colleges should deposit this fee with the university.
This, in turn, could be utilised for the betterment and development of facilities. Right now, there is no account of how much amount these colleges owe and which department in the university will be responsible for it.
Sources in the university meanwhile disclosed that roughly 95 per cent colleges affiliated with the university have not been remitting this fee and there were only a handful that passed on this amount regularly to the university.
They also disclosed that there was a lack of coordination among various departments of the university in managing and keeping tab on funds. When contacted, in-charge Vice Chancellor Mukul Shah admitted that most of the colleges took fee for cultural activities from students but did not deposit it with the university.
“I am not sure about the exact amount due, but college authorities have been asked to ensure that the amount is deposited before enrolment of students with the university,” Dr Shah said.
RESOLUTION 2006
As per the provisions mentioned in the resolution passed by the university in accordance with Ordinance 170, every student admitted to an affiliated college, a recognised institution or a university department will have to pay a fee of Rs 20 per term towards the expenses for organising cultural activities in the university.
Out of this, Rs 10 per student shall be remitted to the university by the college/ institution/university department within a month of the date of commencement of term. The remaining amount of Rs 10 a student a term can be retained and used by the college/ institution/university department for promotion of the cultural activities of their own.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Friday, August 24, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=2&contentid=2012082420120824003351338196c8ee3)
This may come as a shocker to many, particularly college students who have been paying their fee regularly. Most of the colleges collect fee for cultural activities every term but do not deposit it with Gujarat University with which they are affiliated.
This, when the university has passed a resolution mentioning that half of the amount collected for this purpose should be remitted to it within a month of the beginning of the term. What looks even more baffling is that more than six years after the resolution was passed, no concrete effort was made by its officials to oversee collection of this amount and maintenance of records of this fund.
On the face of it, Rs 20 collected from every student for a term of six months may not look too big an amount, but the total comes to more than Rs 4.3 crore for six years as there are more than 3.6 lakh students in the 377 colleges affiliated with Gujarat University.
NO MONITORING DEPT
Mirror learnt about these irregularities through a series of RTI applications it filed with the university authorities over a period of a year and a half to find out about the defaulting colleges.
It came to light that there was no department in the university to monitor or manage the manage the records pertaining to funds being received, if any, from various institutes under this head.
In fact, various departments which ought to be looking into the issue were quick to pass the buck. On August 16, 2011 and later on December 12, 2011, Mirror filed RTI applications with Gujarat University, seeking details of the colleges which had not deposited culture activities fee for five years.
The applications also sought to know the amount the university had that it could spend on youth festival. In his reply, Assistant Director in Youth Welfare Department V K Chavda said that the detail was not available with his department.
He also said that the record could be procured from Accounts Department. Later, in response to an appeal filed before the then incharge registrar B V Patel, Chief Accountant Minesh Shah mentioned that the details should have been maintained by Youth and Welfare Department.
He also added that Accounts Department would ask Youth and Welfare Department to provide relevant information. Expressing concern, Syndicate Member Manish Doshi mentioned that as per provisions, all colleges should deposit this fee with the university.
This, in turn, could be utilised for the betterment and development of facilities. Right now, there is no account of how much amount these colleges owe and which department in the university will be responsible for it.
Sources in the university meanwhile disclosed that roughly 95 per cent colleges affiliated with the university have not been remitting this fee and there were only a handful that passed on this amount regularly to the university.
They also disclosed that there was a lack of coordination among various departments of the university in managing and keeping tab on funds. When contacted, in-charge Vice Chancellor Mukul Shah admitted that most of the colleges took fee for cultural activities from students but did not deposit it with the university.
“I am not sure about the exact amount due, but college authorities have been asked to ensure that the amount is deposited before enrolment of students with the university,” Dr Shah said.
RESOLUTION 2006
As per the provisions mentioned in the resolution passed by the university in accordance with Ordinance 170, every student admitted to an affiliated college, a recognised institution or a university department will have to pay a fee of Rs 20 per term towards the expenses for organising cultural activities in the university.
Out of this, Rs 10 per student shall be remitted to the university by the college/ institution/university department within a month of the date of commencement of term. The remaining amount of Rs 10 a student a term can be retained and used by the college/ institution/university department for promotion of the cultural activities of their own.
