Haryana Government has decided to review all 24 private institutions in the state after receiving complaints that some of the institutions are not following the provisions of law. This decision has been taken against the backdrop of the State higher education department issuing a show-cause notice to Ashoka University, accusing it of “financial embezzlement” by not admitting enough students from the state or giving them fees concessions as required by the Haryana Private Universities Act-2006 and the university has denied the allegation.
Additional Chief Secretary (Higher education) Anand Mohan Sharan told The Indian Express that the audit will cover administrative, academic and financial aspects of the universities. It is already provided in the Act that an annual audit of the universities is to be conducted and we have taken the decision to do it.
We are making a draft of modalities and points on which the audit will be done. We are also expecting that Accountant General Office or a central government agency would hire someone to audit the universities. The entire process will be done in a fortnight, ”he added.
On the show-cause notice to the Ashoka University, Sharan said, there were many complaints against the university. Based on them, the department has asked the university to submit some details. The department has found disparities in the details provided by the university. The department has again asked the university to submit a detailed reply in response to the notice that is being inspected.
On July 6, the university refused the government accusations in response to the show-cause notice. Ashoka University claimed that the university is following all the norms followed by the Private Universities Act. The university also follows the highest standards of institutional governance and there is no point of any financial impropriety in this regard or any aspect of its functioning,” a part of the Sonipat-based university’s reply read.
On the other hand, the state higher education department also revealed that a show-cause notice was also released to the World University of Design, Sonipat. The university had started admissions in the courses for which they had not looked for the government’s prior approval. The university was asked to pay a fine of Rs 10 lakh after examing their response,” Sharan said.
He further said that the university could be fined ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore under the Private Universities Act depending on the gravity of the violation committed. Since it was their first violation, the government imposed a minimum fine.
Sharan also revealed that another show-cause notice was sent to SRM University, Sonipat for starting courses without prior approval from the government. The university has submitted its response and the department is inspecting it.
Further, he said, an audit is the basic demand under that the Act which has to be done annually. The government has made it strict now as more and more private institutions are coming up.
