CHANDIGARH, May 1: Students' Fund collected by university and colleges will be utilised only for the benefit of students and cannot be used by the institutions for any other purpose. The practice of paying salary out of students' fund will no longer be allowed.This was resolved by a committee constituted by the Panjab University today which met here to discuss the issue of utilisation of students' fund and amalgamated fund collected from students.A member stated that principals of some of the colleges were making payment of salary to the teaching and non-teaching staff from these funds, which was a violation of rules and amounted to misutilisation. In an earlier meeting, one of the principals had reportedly conceded that salary of some ad hoc teachers was being paid from the students' fund. In some cases, loans have also been advanced to the Governing body of the college from these funds. The committee which was headed by Vice Chancellor Prof M. M. Puri, consisted of the Dean College Development Council Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, Dean Students Welfare Prof R. S. Grewal, Registrar Parmajit Singh, Charanjit Chawla of SGGS College, H. Dhillon, J. S. Sandhu and B. C. Josan of affiliated colleges of PU.The demand of proper utilisation of students' fund had been raised in the university senate a number of times and student representatives had been alleging that the money collected from them was often being transferred to other accounts.Private colleges collect Rs 360 from every student as amalgamated fund and student fund every year, apart from an annual students' charge, amounting to nearly Rs 800 at the time of admission. Due to terrorism in the past years, all students' activities had been suspended for many years and cultural functions and tours had taken a back seat. Students' organisations have also been demanding a review of the expenditure of money during these years.A committee member, Charanjit Chawla suggested that fund utilisation committee in each institute must include two elected representatives of the staff (teaching) on the governing body of the college and two student representatives, preferably commerce students. Each college must furnish a certificate upto March 31 stating the actual utilisation of the fund. Also minimum two meetings of the fund utilisation committee should be held every year.A coordination committee consisting of the Dean College Development Council, Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh, the Dean Students' Welfare, Prof R.S.Grewal, and the Director, Youth Welfare to oversee further issues concerning these funds.
