Jamia spent Rs 26 lakh for accreditation panel visit

Jamia Millia Islamia university in the national capital spent over Rs 26 lakh for arranging royal treatment for the team from National Assess-ment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), which had gone to the varsity for an inspection last year, according to details revealed by RTI queries.

Jamia, which got an A grade, spent Rs 26.50 lakh on the NAAC team’s visit between February 17 and 22 even though the university officials claimed that the amount was not spent to influence the team.

According to RTI queries filed by Atyab Siddiqui, a lawyer, and Firoz Bakht Ahmed, a school teacher, the varsity spent Rs 4.1 lakh on a series of meals, Rs3 lakh on books and stationery, Rs1.26 lakh on designer bags for the team and Rs1.93 lakh on over 80 cars that were hired for the team members.

“The NAAC team’s visit to any institution is for assessing the credentials and grades it accordingly. However, we don’t understand the need for spending such a huge amount to make such arrangements, especially booking of five star hotels and handing away bags worth over Rs 12,000 each,” said Mr Siddiqui.

A big chunk of the amount were used for a lunch, the advance of which alone was Rs1.75 lakh, and 16 rooms (Rs 7,000 for a night) and a suite (Rs14,000) booked from February 17 to 22 at a top hotel in the city.

Mr Siddiqui and Mr Ahmed have written to the University Grants for Commission and NAAC, seeking their intervention into the expenditure account and withdrawal of the accreditation. “There has to be an inquiry against how can they spend this huge sum of taxpayers’ money for absolutely nothing. We demand the UGC order withdrawal of this accreditation and a fresh assessment be conducted by the NAAC,” added Mr Siddiqui.