New Delhi:
Central Autonomous Bodies (CABs) under the Ministry of Education accounted for the highest share of unutilised grants among ministries, with ₹4,553 crore out of ₹54,732 crore released to them remaining unspent during 2022-23, according to a CAG report tabled in Parliament.
NewsX has accessed a copy of the report, which examines the utilisation of grants by Central Autonomous Bodies during the year.
The report shows that the 198 CABs under the Ministry of Education received more than 48% of the total grants released to CABs across ministries. At the same time, the ministry accounted for 34% of the total unutilised grants, meaning that nearly one-third of all unutilised grants across ministries were with bodies under the Ministry of Education.
Of the ₹54,732 crore in grants released to the 198 CABs under the Ministry of Education, ₹4,553 crore remained unutilised during the year.
The CAG’s findings show that the education ministry accounts for nearly half of the total grants released to CABs across the government.
The CAG has also pulled up the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), flagging the “low pace” of assessment and accreditation of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).
As of March 2022, only 32% of HEIs had been accredited by NAAC. The report noted that 56% of universities and 76% of colleges were yet to be accredited.
This is despite the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 setting a target of accrediting all HEIs within 15 years.
The CAG also found that 559 HEIs continued to claim expired or lapsed accreditation status, raising concerns over the monitoring of accreditation validity and the pace of the accreditation process.