Funds for Jamia, AMU dip but doubled for BHU during Modi tenure

The fund allocation, in comparison to the last financial year, has considerably decreased for two Central universities – Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

This was confirmed by the Ministry of Education while answering a question on Monday during the Monsoon Session in the Parliament.

The question was asked by Congress MP from Kerala T N Prathapan. He requested details of funds allocated to Central universities namely – Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi; Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; Aligarh Muslim University (AMU); Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar; and Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi.

In reply, the minister of state for education, Subhas Sarkar revealed that Jamia Millia Islamia’s funding was Rs 411.10 crores for the financial year (FY) 2021-22.

When compared to FY 2020-21 the fund allocation was Rs 479.83 crores, a dip of Rs 68.73 crores.

That means there is a drop of over 14% of funds. In the current financial year, Rs 105.95 crores were allocated to the university in the first quarter.

For Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Sarkar stated that the funding in FY 2020-21 was Rs 1,520.10 crores and Rs 1,214.63 crores in FY 2021-22, a dip of nearly Rs 306 crores.

This means there is a drop of over 20% in fund allocation. Moreover, in the first quarter of the current financial year, Rs 302.32 crores were allocated.

As for other universities barring BHU and Rajiv Gandhi University, Sarkar’s reply revealed that in 2014-15, the funds allocated stood at 336.91 crores. Now the funds allocated, stand at just Rs 407.47 crores, which is only an increase of Rs 70 crores.

However, in the case of BHU, the funds have almost doubled from Rs 669.51 crores in 2014-15 to Rs 1,303.01 crores in 2021-22.

Similarly, in the case of Rajiv Gandhi University, the funds have increased by 250% from Rs 39.93 crores in 2014-15 to Rs 102.79 crores in 2021-22.

When Prathapan questioned Sarkar on the decreased fund allocation, the latter said, “The government provides grants to Central Universities through University Grants Commission (UGC). Allocation of funds is made on the basis of the requirement projected by the University and expenditure incurred during the previous year as well as the availability of funds.”

Prathapan continued that there is a fee hike in certain Central Universities citing a shortage of funds. He questioned Sarkar on how could the government keep a blind eye on this issue and what are the reasons for not allocating more funds.

Sarkar said, “The Central Universities are autonomous institutions created under the Act of Parliament which are governed by their own Acts, Statutes, Ordinances, etc. And regulations made there under and are competent to take decisions in an academic and administrative matter of the university including increasing of fees (Tuition, hostel and mess fee, etc.).”