Bengaluru: Some top pvt varsities get govt aid; probe ordered

Bengaluru:A few top higher educational institutions, including Christ, PES and St Joseph’s are allegedly receiving government grants even after becoming private and deemed-to-be universities, documents show, prompting Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar to order an inquiry into all institutions that have turned universities.

This came to light recently when the government received a file from St Aloysius College, Mangaluru, seeking grant-in-aid. The institute received deemed-to-be university status in January 2024.

Confirming this to DH, Sudhakar said, “We were not aware of this. In their recent request seeking grants, St Aloysius College itself revealed names of other top institutions which have become universities but are receiving grants. I was shocked to know this. There is no question of yielding to any pressure. I am ordering an inquiry and calling for a report.”

Sudhakar even said he will communicate to the Law and Finance Departments seeking details of private institutions which have become universities and are getting financial assistance from the government. “This is a serious issue and I will not drop it here,” he said.

When contacted, Melwin Colaco, registrar St Joseph’s University justified the grants from govt and said, “It is as per the Act.”

A senior official of Christ University said, “Yes we are getting grants and it was the commitment by the government when we become a university.”

Documents accessed by DH reveal that in its request submitted to the Higher Education Department, St Aloysius College (autonomous) mentioned that PES, Christ and St Joseph’s were getting grants from the government despite becoming deemed-to-be private universities.

“Our college got the deemed-to-be status on 19-01-2024 but the government has approved the filling of 11 assistant professors aided posts even before the institute got the deemed status. Interviews, selection and verification of candidates have also been completed. The college has not lost affiliation from the Managlore University. PES, Christ and St Joseph -- are getting grant-in-aid from the government even after receiving deemed-to-be status. Considering this, the minister may approve our application,” reads the communication.

DH has accessed the file communication from the Higher Education and Collegiate Education Departments regarding continuation of grant-in-aid to Christ Deemed-to-be University since 2010.

“We were shocked to know that a few institutions are still getting financial benefit from the government though they are private and deemed-to-be universities. According to norms, there is no provision for such institutions to get financial benefit from the government,” said a senior official of the department of Higher Education.

Officials even mentioned a similar incident where B V Bhoomareddi College of Engineering and Technology (BVB) in Hubballi, which was an aided institute before it became a private university, and was renamed KLE Technological University in 2015-16. But even after going out of the government purview, the institute received salaries for its staff from the government till 2022-23, after which Sudhakar ordered an inquiry and stopped the grants and shifted the teachers to other aided institutions.

A former principal secretary of the Higher Education Department told DH, “There is no provision to continue grant-in-aid to colleges if they get university status. If it has been happened, then the involvement of the department officials needs to be questioned. It is illegal and a huge loss to the government exchequer.”