Jahangirnagar University on Friday announced its annual budget of Tk 279.13 crore for the financial year 2022-23, keeping Tk 4.40 crore for research.
JU treasurer Rasheda Akhter placed the budget in the annual senate session of the university at the senate hall with vice-chancellor Nurul Alam in the chair.
This year, the size of the budget increased by Tk 12.89 crore compared to the previous year’s Tk 266.24 crore budget.
According to the new budget, 35.06 per cent of the total budget is allocated for salary, 11.47 per cent for administrative costs, 11.60 per cent for associated costs, 10.99 per cent for pension and retirement facilities, 9.52 per cent for residential halls and hostels and 7.05 per cent for examination costs.
A group of teachers, however, slammed the allocation of Tk 4.40 crore or only 1.58 per cent of the budget for research, terming it insufficient for quality research.
The allocation for publications and procurement of scientific instruments increased by Tk 10,000 against each department and institute.
In the previous financial year, the allocation for research was Tk 4.00 crore or 1.5 per cent of the total budget.
As per the new budget, the University Grants Commission will provide Tk 257.13 crore while Tk 22 crore will come from the university’s internal sources.
There will, however, be a net deficit of Tk 42.90 crore.
On June 12, the university syndicate approved the budget at a syndicate meeting held at the new administrative building.
Several senate members opposed the revised budget for the financial year 2019-20 and the main budget for financial year 2020-21 terming the budgets ‘enveloped’.
Former JU vice-chancellor Shariff Enamul Kabir said that the budgets were made without passing it in senate session as per the law.
Citing national dailies, he said that they could not give assent to the reported irregularities during the financial years.
Registered graduate representative of the university senate Shihab Uddin Khan said, ‘The administration should review the earnings and costs of the financial years and form a body to investigate the reported irregularities.’
The senate ordered further examination of the budgets and discussion in the next syndicate meeting.
The past senate session was held on June 28, 2019.
– With New Age input
