Bhubaneswar, Oct. 7: A group of engineering students have demanded a CBI inquiry into the functioning of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT).

The tech undergraduates, all members of the BPUT Students’ Union, have alleged rampant corruption in the university, apart from malpractice in the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination.

“We demand a financial audit. The varsity has been collecting Rs 500 to Rs 1,500 from time to time under various heads.

“But, the funds are neither utilised nor refunded. The authorities have also been collecting money apparently for organising placement drives since 2004, but again, there is neither a placement officer, nor any infrastructure to support the recruitment process. Where is all our money going,” asked union president Jitendra Dash.

The students have also demanded a full-time single commissionerate on the lines of the commissionerate of Karnataka that could take all decisions related to the timely conduct of the joint exam.

Moreover, the agitating students insisted on hostel for poor and meritorious outstation students, holding examinations in home centres, bus and train ticket passes, mediclaim, insurance and other welfare schemes from the government.

Complaining against the mismanagement in holding of elections and publication of results, the students demanded that the authorities follow an academic calendar.

Chairperson of the union Biswajit Mohanty said there were loopholes in the BPUT Act as it did not allow migration of students into the varsity from any other state. As a result, the state lost at least 18 students from the Northeast, who had wished to take admission in the varsity in the wake of the recent ethnic riots there.

Last Friday, the students organised a “Need for Change” rally here and presented a charter of demands to technical education minister Pratap Keshari Deb.