The Bangalore University (BU), which has managed to stay in the news for all the wrong reasons over the last few years, is in the dock yet again, this time for blocking government auditors from auditing the university expenditures of last two years. According to highly placed sources, even after repeated intimation from the state higher education department, the university has adamantly continued to block the annual audit of a total of Rs 440 crore.
Sources in the Education Department said that for the last two years, state auditors have been finding it difficult to get access the university documents, especially those related to examination section, academic staff college and distance education cell. “Annual audit reports shed light on various loopholes in the administration. Obstacles are created on the ground that the State government has no power to audit the funds released by University Grants Commission (UGC), etc. But, in this era of transparency in governance, we are not convinced by the justifications and arguments of the university authorities”, said a senior officer.
Speaking to this newspaper, two syndicate members – Mr D.S. Krishna and Prof. K.V. Acharya – said that government and audit officers have been sending reminders repeatedly seeking files for the audit. “The annual budget of the university is Rs 220 crore. This means Rs 440 crore is at stake over the last two years. As per rules, all government institutions must undergo annual auditing. But since the last two years, BU authorities have stalled the exercise. We fear this is part of a conspiracy to hush up various irregularities committed in the last two years,” they said.
When contacted, University registrar Prof. B.C. Mylarappa agreed that a few officials of the university are not cooperating with the government auditors. “The State government has ordered for a special audit of the examination section, distance education department and academic staff college. I too got information that files have not been handed over to the auditors for necessary action. I have written 15 letters to the concerned sections seeking files immediately. But no one is following my order and directions,” he said.