Can’t pay staff salaries due to delay in release of Post-matric Scholarships, says Punjab unaided colleges’ association

Under PMS, the scholarship (mainly as academic fee waiver) is paid to the students whose parents and guardians’ annual income from all sources does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh

The joint action committee (JAC) of Punjab Unaided College Association (PUCA) and Punjab Unaided Technical Institutions Association (PUTIA) said the delay in disbursement of post-matric scholarship (PMS) by the Punjab government has resulted in unaided colleges being unable to pay salaries to staff.

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A meeting of the JAC was held at Rayat and Bahara University, Kharar, Mohali, on Monday.

In Punjab, over 2.5 lakh students belonging to the schedule castes are the direct beneficiaries of the scheme. Under the scheme, the scholarship (mainly as academic fee waiver) is paid to the students whose parents and guardians’ annual income from all sources does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh.

PUCA president Anshu Kataria said, “The Covid-19 crisis has added to the misery of unaided colleges and due to excessive delay in the release of PMS funds, we are facing acute shortage of funds. We are unable to bear operating expenses of which staff salary is a major component.”

Raising questions on the working of the state government, members of the JAC said, “When some of the funds have already been released by the Centre, there is no valid reason for the state government to not disburse the amount to the institutions.”

Manjit Singh, senior vice-president of PUTIA said colleges are waiting to be paid for the last three to four years.

He added colleges are paying the fees for SC Students to affiliated universities and boards from their own pocket without charging fees from them as per directions of the state government.