In the limelight

Ranchi, April 3: It was a double whammy for Ranchi University (RU) in Delhi today.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) agreed in a meeting to consider the case of all the four RU colleges short-listed by the varsity for autonomy status and gave RU officials a demand draft of Rs 9 crore for setting up Jharkhand Institute of Basic Sciences (JIBS).

The RU colleges eyeing the autonomy status are state capital-based Ranchi College and Marwari College and steel city-based Jamshedpur Women’s College (JWC) and Graduate School College for Women. RU vice-chancellor A.A. Khan and state higher education director Anjani Kumar Shrivastav took part in the meeting with the experts of UGC in Delhi today.

Khan told The Telegraph the UGC’s expert team would visit the short-listed colleges soon to weigh their cases. The UGC’s team would mainly see whether these institutes qualify for the autonomous tag as per set standards of infrastructure and other requirements. Khan said autonomy proposal for 70 colleges from across the country was discussed during the meet.

The UGC authorities also handed RU officials a demand draft of Rs 9 crore for setting up JIBS.

The varsity spokesperson, S.S. Akhtar, said: “The proposal for the six-storeyed building has already been sent for approval of Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA). After RDDA’s clearance work for the Rs 12 crore project will be started,” said Akhtar.

Rest of the total estimated project cost for JIBS would be realised from the university’s internal resources. Ranchi-based architecture firm, The Achievers, has been engaged for the project map and design.

Funds certificate

Principals of all constituent colleges under RU have been directed to submit utilisation certificate for funds used till February 2008 within two days. Besides, monthly demand for March on salary heads of teaching and non-teaching staff along with other expenses has to be submitted to the office of finance officer by April 5.