All deptts directed to submit records to Audit team
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, May 29: In a major development, the Comptroller and Audit General of India is learnt to have initiated special Audit on performance and working of the Jammu University for the last five years.
Besides Financial management, the Audit team will assess the performance of the university in Academics, Research, Human resource management, infrastructure development, asset management and other areas ancillary to its working. Performance of JU affiliated colleges and offsite campus of the university is also being assessed by the Audit team.
This is apparently for the first time in last more than three decades that such a special audit is being conducted on performance and working of the Jammu University.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Audit team has reached Jammu University and started seeking relevant records from different departments to check.
Audit will cover the period from 2017-18 to 2021-22 and will also be guided by the developments prior to the period by a test check of records of Registrar officer, Dean Academic Affairs, Dean Planning, Dean Research Studies , Director Colleges Development Council etc, sources added.
Pertinent to mention that Prof Manoj Kumar Dhar was the Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University from July 2018 till the appointment of Prof Umesh Rai as the new VC in March 2022 even as he had completed his tenure of three years since July 24, 2021. Before the taking over by Prof Manoj Dhar, Prof R D Sharma was the Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University. Hence the audit will cover the entire tenure of Prof Manoj Dhar and more than a year of Prof R D Sharma as the Vice-Chancellor.
According to the sources, this special audit to assess the performance and working of Jammu University covering the period from 2017-18 to 2021-22 has been ordered in wake of a number of complaints regarding financial mismanagement, alleged misuse of funds, inadequate transparency in appointments, alleged irregularities in infrastructure development, etc.
Following a formal intimation from the Office of the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Srinagar to JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai, about conducting Performance Audit on working of the university, all the departments in Jammu University have been directed to keep relevant records updated and provide the same to Audit party for check, sources informed.
In the official communication in this regard, Deputy Accountant General (Audit), Inabat Khalik has sought necessary direction to all the concerned departments, affiliated colleges and offsite campuses to assist in joint inspection of selected works besides providing record to Audit parties, sources added.
This communiqué was received by JU Registrar on May 23 and on the same day, the University Chief Accounts Officer issued direction to all the departments for extending full cooperation to the Audit party, sources further said.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior Professor of JU told the Excelsior that a similar special audit was conducted when Old Campus of the university was flooded with water following flash flood in Tawi river in 1988 and alleged misuse of fund by the University Works Department had surfaced.
This Special Audit is different from routine Audits which are conducted every year in association with the Internal Audit team of the university. The Special Audit is likely to take more than six months to get completed, sources said.
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