Madhya Pradesh Bars Private Colleges From Paying Staff Salaries In Cash

Madhya Pradesh’s Higher Education Department has tightened rules for private colleges over the payment of salaries to teachers and non-teaching employees. Under the new system, private college managements will not be allowed to pay salaries in cash. Salaries must be transferred through bank accounts.

Colleges will also have to upload details of the bank accounts of their teachers and employees on the department’s portal. The department has made it necessary for institutions to provide this information and maintain a record of salary payments made through bank accounts.

The move is aimed at checking alleged irregularities in salary payments at private colleges. It is also intended to prevent cases involving fake appointments and instances where colleges show employees on paper to obtain or retain recognition.

The Higher Education Department has made it clear that institutions will have to follow the prescribed rules for recognition for the new academic session, the introduction of new courses and other college-related processes. Private colleges will be required to provide the actual details of the teachers and non-teaching employees working at their institutions on the department’s portal.

The colleges will also have to submit records showing that salaries have been paid through bank accounts. This will allow the department to check the details of employees and the salary payments made to them through a digital record.

The department has warned that financial penalties can be imposed on college managements for violating the rules or providing incorrect information. A fine of up to 5 lakh rupees may be imposed under the new arrangement.

If a serious irregularity is found, the action may also include cancellation of the college’s recognition. This means that colleges found to have committed major violations could face action beyond a financial penalty.

Questions have often been raised in private colleges about the actual availability of teachers in comparison with the sanctioned posts and the information recorded in official documents. The new system is expected to provide the department with a digital record of employee appointments and salary payments.

The department will be able to use this information to monitor the possibility of colleges showing employees only on paper. It will also help in monitoring irregularities in salary payments. The system has been introduced as part of the department’s effort to ensure that the information submitted by private colleges reflects the employees actually working there.