A five-member panel from the University Grants Commission (UGC) held a meeting with members of the finance committee, building committee, planning board and the administration of Pondicherry University on Monday.
The team which is on a five-day visit to audit academic, research, financial and infrastructure facilities in the univerity held discussions with officials including Vice-Chancellor (in-charge) Anisa Basheer Khan.
The UGC had cut the funding of Pondicherry University under Non-Plan to the tune of ₹2 crore during the financial year 2016-2017. The drastic measure was seen as reflecting UGC’s displeasure over “the non-compliance with the rules and regulations stipulated by the Government of India by the university,” an official said.
“The nation-wide audit is essentially to status-check whether the return on investment for universities is justified and to gauge if the students are getting the kind of education they wish to by joining these universities in the first place,” the official added.