Summary:
PATNA: The Centre has asked the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) officials in Bihar to clear the pending funds to beneficiary colleges by July 21.“If the officials fail to release the RUSA I funds within the stipulated time, the RUSA II funds will be frozen,” Ishita Roy, joint secretary for higher education in Union HRD ministry said while addressing a workshop on ‘Quality education and challenges’, organised by Patna Women’s College (PWC) on its premises on Saturday.Ishita asked the RUSA officials to clear the pending funds of Rs 2 crore, which was granted to PWC in 2015 for infrastructure development. Ishita asked Kameshwar Jha, vice-chairman of RUSA’s Bihar unit, to arrange the meeting with the education department officials and VCs of universities in New Delhi by this month.“I wonder how these colleges are functioning with limited number of teachers. She also asked the officials concerned to clear the funds of other institutions.Expressing concern over “poor” higher education scenario in the state, Ishita said she would hold a meeting with officials concerned, including chief secretary and vice-chancellors of universities to discuss issues such as pending salary of teachers, non-payment of funds to colleges for providing free education to girl students, lack of infrastructure in colleges and universities and scarcity of teachers. Quality education is not possible without infrastructure and faculty members,” Ishita said, adding if the government offers full support to PWC, it may emerge as one of the top 100 colleges in the country.Principals of various colleges of Patna University, Pataliputra University and Magadh University attended the workshop and voiced their grievances.A PWC teacher said though the University Grants Commission (UGC) okayed autonomous college status to the institution in January this year and the Patna University syndicate approved the proposal, the state cabinet is yet to act on it.“Under UGC guidelines, if the university does not forward the proposal or provide nominee within 30 days, it shall be presumed that the university has no objection to the processing of the proposal by the UGC for conferment of autonomous status,” Ishita said.The workshop was also attended by RUSA’s national coordinator B Venkatesh and other college principals..