Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia asked the Directorate of Higher Education to audit accounts of Delhi-government funded Bhagini Nivedita College (BNC) for the last two years on Wednesday, July 1, 2020. The order came after he received complaints of financial irregularities against the principal.

Sisodia wrote to the Secretary Higher Education, “These complaints have come from different stakeholders like students, parents, teachers, etc. These allege financial irregularities in tendering processes, hiring of a car for the principal, buying of unnecessary items not needed in an educational institution, etc. Directorate of Higher Education should immediately get the accounts of the last two years audited, preferably by a CAG empanelled auditor.”

Manisha Saxena, Secretary Higher Education, said she had not received the letter yet but added that the department had asked 12 colleges funded by Delhi government for salary bills and recruitment details. 

BNC principal Charu Sharma told The Indian Express, “I’m shocked to hear this. I didn’t know about it. I only took over as principal in April last year. Since the last one year, we have seen an increase in academic seminars and student activities. The college should be known for that rather than all this.” The BNC governing body chairman Pavan Sharma claimed he had also received complaints against the principal.

This is not the first time the principal of BNC has faced allegations of financial and administrative irregularities. Former principal Purbi Saikia too had faced such allegations – in terms of irregularities in faculty appointment, harassment of staff, misuse of staff car and bribery. She was later suspended by the college governing body.

Source: The Indian Express

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