Scholarship money lying unused in accounts of 45 govt college principals

Bengaluru: Principals of 45 government degree colleges in the state have not disbursed the scholarship amount from their accounts to beneficiary students, in academic years prior to 2019-20.

According to the principal accountant general (PAG), who raised objections to the same, ‘a huge scholarship amount’ received from various departments towards scholarships of students from SC/ST/OBC and minority communities is lying unused in the principals’
accounts.

In a communication to the department of collegiate education (DCE), the PAG has sought details of the non-disbursed amounts from the accounts of principals along with scanned copies of bank passbooks.

“During the compliance audit of the DCE, scrutiny of records was carried out in the offices of joint directors and various colleges up to the year 2023-24. It was observed that huge undisbursed scholarship amounts are lying in the accounts. These scholarship amounts were received prior to the implementation of the state scholarship portal (SSP) for disbursement of money. It is required to obtain details of undisbursed amounts lying in college principals’ accounts and details of expenditure made from the scholarship amount by colleges from 2021-22 to 2024-25 must be furnished to the audit earliest,” reads a communication from the PAG to the DCE commissioner.

As per data available from the department, 45 listed colleges include five from Bengaluru: Government RC College of Commerce and Management, Government Science College, Government First Grade College, Vijayanagar, Government First Grade College, Malleswaram, Government Women’s First Grade college, Vijayanagar.