<p>The University Grants Commission (UGC) has indicted five private aided colleges — four in Gulbarga and one in Basavakalyan — for the extensive misuse of UGC funds availed for the construction of women’s hostels, health centres and for remedial coaching. </p>.<p>The colleges are run by the prestigious Sharanabasaveshwara Vidyavardhaka Sangha, Gulbarga, headed by Dr Sharanabasavappa Appa, seer of the Sharanabasaveshwara Samsthana. The colleges in question are are: SB Science College, SB Arts College, SB Commerce College, Godutai Doddappa Appa (GDA) Arts and Commerce College for Women, all in Gulbarga; and SS Khuba Basaveshwara College of Arts and Science, Basavakalyan.<br /><br />Following an article in Deccan Herald, the University Grants Commission in New Delhi, constituted a four-member fact-finding committee headed by former vice-chancellor of Amaravati University Kamal Singh. The complaints had been filed by Dr B S Makal, Associate Physics Professor of Basavakalyan College, and Prof Shivaraj Patil, a former Kannada professor of SB College, Gulbarga.<br /><br />Earlier finding<br /><br />An earlier inquiry conducted by the Joint Director of Department of Collegiate Education, Gulbarga, had established that the institiutes had misused funds provided by the Commission . <br /><br />The Commission had given funds to colleges under different schemes. Special grants under educationally backward area scheme — Rs 23.76 lakh; construction of women’s hostel by the GDA College for Women — Rs 63.75 lakh; construction of women’s hostel for the Basavakalyan college — Rs 46 lakh; and construction of women’s hostel for S B Science College — Rs 33.37 lakh. The total amount misused amounts to Rs 1.67 crore.<br /><br />The committee had visited all the colleges and recorded statements of complainants, principals and managements of colleges and interacted with students. In all cases, the committee said, participation of teachers in planning board, library committee, etc, was missing. It has clearly established the “violation of norms set by University Grants Commission.”<br /><br />Trail of neglect<br /><br />The committee observed that: The S B Science College principal failed to produce records of the land on which the women’s hostel has been constructed. The hostel has been occupied by students of the engineering college run by the same management. <br /><br />In the Basavakalyan college, it was noted that the building of the so-called hostel for degree college was occupied by students of the unaided private PU college. <br /><br />“The conduct of remedial coaching in 2011-12 remained questionable, though the college has spent Rs 5.39 lakh for the purpose.’’ <br /><br />In the GDA women’s college hostel, students of other unaided colleges and PU college are given preference over the students of the parent college. What is unusual, however, is that the college, continues to collect Rs 2,500 per month from each student.<br /><br />The health centre, according to the committee, does not appear to be one, but looks like a hostel. It lacks necessary equipment.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The University Grants Commission (UGC) has indicted five private aided colleges — four in Gulbarga and one in Basavakalyan — for the extensive misuse of UGC funds availed for the construction of women’s hostels, health centres and for remedial coaching. </p>.<p>The colleges are run by the prestigious Sharanabasaveshwara Vidyavardhaka Sangha, Gulbarga, headed by Dr Sharanabasavappa Appa, seer of the Sharanabasaveshwara Samsthana. The colleges in question are are: SB Science College, SB Arts College, SB Commerce College, Godutai Doddappa Appa (GDA) Arts and Commerce College for Women, all in Gulbarga; and SS Khuba Basaveshwara College of Arts and Science, Basavakalyan.<br /><br />Following an article in Deccan Herald, the University Grants Commission in New Delhi, constituted a four-member fact-finding committee headed by former vice-chancellor of Amaravati University Kamal Singh. The complaints had been filed by Dr B S Makal, Associate Physics Professor of Basavakalyan College, and Prof Shivaraj Patil, a former Kannada professor of SB College, Gulbarga.<br /><br />Earlier finding<br /><br />An earlier inquiry conducted by the Joint Director of Department of Collegiate Education, Gulbarga, had established that the institiutes had misused funds provided by the Commission . <br /><br />The Commission had given funds to colleges under different schemes. Special grants under educationally backward area scheme — Rs 23.76 lakh; construction of women’s hostel by the GDA College for Women — Rs 63.75 lakh; construction of women’s hostel for the Basavakalyan college — Rs 46 lakh; and construction of women’s hostel for S B Science College — Rs 33.37 lakh. The total amount misused amounts to Rs 1.67 crore.<br /><br />The committee had visited all the colleges and recorded statements of complainants, principals and managements of colleges and interacted with students. In all cases, the committee said, participation of teachers in planning board, library committee, etc, was missing. It has clearly established the “violation of norms set by University Grants Commission.”<br /><br />Trail of neglect<br /><br />The committee observed that: The S B Science College principal failed to produce records of the land on which the women’s hostel has been constructed. The hostel has been occupied by students of the engineering college run by the same management. <br /><br />In the Basavakalyan college, it was noted that the building of the so-called hostel for degree college was occupied by students of the unaided private PU college. <br /><br />“The conduct of remedial coaching in 2011-12 remained questionable, though the college has spent Rs 5.39 lakh for the purpose.’’ <br /><br />In the GDA women’s college hostel, students of other unaided colleges and PU college are given preference over the students of the parent college. What is unusual, however, is that the college, continues to collect Rs 2,500 per month from each student.<br /><br />The health centre, according to the committee, does not appear to be one, but looks like a hostel. It lacks necessary equipment.<br /><br /></p>
