BU’s fund demand surprises UGC team

The visiting UGC team is assessing the functioning of the university and is likely to continue its scrutiny till January 9.

A senior member of the university Executive Council,seeking anonymity,told Newsline,“The committee was surprised to know of a demand of Rs 38.28 crore made by the BU for its XIth Five Year Plan.”

He said the university had submitted two priority proposals of Rs18.75 crore and Rs19.53 crore separately.

He further said: “The heads of several departments of the university left the meeting without giving satisfactory answers to the members’ queries.”

The committee,he said,gave a clear signal of disapproving the university’s demands for a separate computerised library and a computer laboratory.

The BU has formed a team consisting members of the Academic Council,Executive Council,Planning Board besides other experts.

The university,sources said,has demanded Rs 7 crore for staff selection,Rs 6 crore for new buildings,Rs 6 crore for research,and Rs 6 crore as development fund for professionals and creation of quality courses in the campus.

The rest of the amount is towards other development works in the university.

“We have proposed creation of 30 teaching posts for postgraduate departments. Besides,we have asked for financial support for starting new courses like Masters of Business in Economics and Foreign Trade,Masters of Arts in Dual Science and Masters of Entrepreneurship

Development. A new department of Entrepreneurship Development has also been proposed,” said Vice-Chancellor Harikrishna Trivedi.

On the other hand,the joint Academic Council and Executive Council members of the university met on Monday to discuss the selection of members on the search committee to finalise the candidate for the post of the next vice-chancellor. The term of incumbent Trivedi is to end in June 2009.