Ranchi, Oct. 16: Financial management of Ranchi University would soon be under scrutiny as the Raj Bhavan has finally agreed to send audit officers to scrutinise the balance sheets of different colleges, departments and offices of the university.

Vice-chancellor S.S. Kushwaha said the balance sheets of the colleges have not been audited for more than a decade. The university had requested the Jharkhand Governor, who is also the chancellor of universities, to appoint at least six audit officers.

Kushwaha said: “We want to see that how many of them will join. But, even if four officers come, we can begin the work at the earliest”.

Sources said the university has received complaints of misappropriation in the contingency and amounts by different colleges. But, no action could be initiated, since there was no audit team.

Most of the officials are superannuated and no fresh appointment was made in their place. The last audit was done by the CAG in 1998.

“The college expenses are bound to exceed, because nominal fees are being charged from the students and the wages of the teaching and non-teaching employees have increased. The tuition fees could be raised only by the state government. The functioning of the colleges depend upon government aids”, said finance officer B.N. Roy.

“Most of the colleges are submitting their fund utilisation certificates on time. There is scope for misappropriation in those accounts. But, no college can draw money from the contingency fund, without the prior sanction of the university. Whether any college has violated this norm or suppressed information or misused funds can only be ascertained by the auditors”, said a senior university officer.

“We did not have a financial advisor and finance officer since long. Recently both these vacancies have been filled up. Now that the Raj Bhavan has agreed to provide us audit officers, the financial administration will be smoothened soon”, Kushwaha added.

University sources said audit of college accounts is necessary as several colleges are conducting vocational courses, for which students are charged heavy amounts. The university does not pay for the vocational courses. Hence, huge amounts are collected by the colleges. It is necessary to ascertain how those amounts are being utilised.

The audit officers would scrutinise the total income and expenditure on conducting examinations.