88 colleges to face music for avoiding academic audit; 375 colleges applied

Aurangabad, Nov 20:

Nearly 88 colleges will face action within the jurisdiction of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) for showing reluctance to academic audit.

It may be noted that Bamu made academic audit mandatory for all the colleges. There are 463 undergraduate and postgraduate colleges in Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed and Osmanabad districts for the academic year 2021-22.

The university decided to carry out an academic audit of the colleges to improve their administrative and academic performance.

It issued a letter to all the colleges seeking their preparedness for the audit. The date was extended several times since January 2021. A total of 375 colleges submitted their proposals in the prescribed format while 88 are still reluctant.

As per the decision of the Management Council, a total of 10 per cent additional fee should be charged for the affiliation of each course to the colleges which will not go the audit. Also, such colleges may face action like denial of affiliation. In an academic audit, an experts' team carry out an inspection of academic, administration, facilities, infrastructure and approved staff.

The committee comprises the chairman (retired VC or Pro-VC), three external members (Chartered Accountants, Engineering, renowned academician or professor) and three internal members (three associate professors from different disciplines).

Bamu administration has set up four different committees to complete the audit and submit its report. One of the committees has submitted its report so far.

Talking to this newspaper, Pro-Vice-chancellor Dr Shyam Shirsath said that 375 colleges had submitted their proposals. He said that the work of inspection will be completed by this year-end.