Varsity to computerise financial transactions

Several services to be made available online: Vice-Chancellor

V.M. Muthukumar, Vice-Chancellor, speaking at Senate meeting in Bharathidasan University, Tiruchi, on Saturday.— PHOTO: B. VELANKANNI RAJ

The Bharathidasan University will fully digitalise all financial transactions so as to ensure transparency, said its Vice-Chancellor V.M. Muthukumar here on Saturday.

Replying to a debate on audit reports for 2010-11 and 2011-12 placed at the university senate meeting here on Saturday, he said he was trying to improve the accounting system to avoid mistakes in financial transactions. Online services for payment of fees, student enrolment, and so on had been introduced. Digitalisation and automation would have provisions to minimise the errors to a great extent. He had asked the Finance Department to ensure error-free transactions.

Earlier, a few members said the audit reports had “several discrepancies”. Audit reports should be given importance and the university should take steps not to repeat the mistakes. S. Sekar and T. Nallathambi, Syndicate Members, who placed the audit reports for 2010-11 and 2011-12, said action had been taken to set right the objections.

To a resolution introduced by T. Arivudai Nambi, Mr. Muthukumar said ruled out setting up of an extension centre at Thanjavur. Moreover, it would become redundant in the wake of online services being introduced.

Examiners

A few members, including M. Jamal Mohamed Jaffar, raised objections to appointment of only professors and associate professors as examiners for evaluation of Ph.D thesis.

E. Ramganesh, senate member, suggested that those who had 10 years of research experience could be considered as external examiners for evaluation of Ph. D thesis.

The resolution moved by Mr. Jaffar on increasing consolidated payment for guest lecturers of Bharathidasan University constituent colleges was supported by many members. They said it should be increased to Rs. 25,000. Many of them felt that the well-qualified lecturers were getting about only Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 13,000, which was less than what petty shopkeepers earned.

The Vice-Chancellor he would take up the issue with the Higher Education Department.

Senate members object to several discrepancies in audit reports

Members want payment for Ph.D thesis external examiners to be increased