The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has exposed significant issues at the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) Jorhat, including excess student admissions, high faculty vacancies, and financial irregularities. The audit, covering 2017-18 to 2021-22, found the university enrolled more students than capacity despite 41% of teaching positions and 69% of non-teaching posts remaining vacant over five years.
Key Audit Findings
Student Enrollment Exceeds Capacity
The CAG report highlights AAU admitted more undergraduate students than its approved capacity in four of the five audited years. In 2021-22, 630 students enrolled in UG programs against a sanctioned strength of 567 , an 11% excess. This over-enrollment ranged from 2% to 22% at specific colleges like the College of Agriculture, Jorhat; College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati; and College of Community Science, Jorhat.
Auditors stated admitting too many students impacts education quality due to limited infrastructure. AAU also violated Veterinary Council of India (VCI) norms by unilaterally increasing its UG veterinary science program capacity. The university attributed some excess enrollment to previously unsuccessful students but provided no justification for the veterinary seat hike.
High Vacancy Rates
AAU faces severe staff shortages. The audit revealed 449 out of 1,096 teaching posts and 1,142 out of 1,645 non-teaching posts were vacant. While AAU has nearly double the required professors, only 7% of associate professor positions are filled. Despite the overall shortfall, three sampled colleges showed an average teacher-student ratio of 1:7. This is better than the 1:10 ratio prescribed by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the University Grants Commission (UGC). The report noted potential for higher student intake if infrastructure and other requirements were met.
Recruitment Irregularities
The university debarred 44 candidates from 50 assistant and associate professor positions in 2019 and 2022. This exclusion occurred because candidates lacked a Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) of Assam. The CAG found this requirement was not stated in job advertisements, the AAU Act, or university statutes. Auditors deemed this a violation of constitutional prohibition against discrimination. The administration cited a chancellor-approved service rule for the PRC clause, but the auditing team rejected this justification.
Deficient Placement Cell
AAU’s Training and Placement Cell failed to make plans for student placements. It also maintained no records of student applications or actions taken. While the university claimed the cell helped students find employment, it provided no supporting documentation. AAU reported a placement policy is currently being finalized.
Subpar Research and Infrastructure
Research and development activities at AAU also showed shortcomings. Out of 27 reviewed research projects, three were abandoned and incomplete for 10-15 months as of March 2022, despite Rs 0.85 crore spent. Of 715 claimed research papers, 39 (5%) were repetitions. 283 papers (42%) scored below five or received no rating from the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), which assesses agricultural research quality. AAU also lacked a Prioritisation, Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) Cell, a 2014 ICAR recommendation.
Infrastructure gaps affected several institutes. The College of Community Science, established in Jorhat in 2019, operates with only two dedicated classrooms and one makeshift corridor classroom, against four required. Horticulture and sericulture colleges lack independent facilities and face shortages of staff, classrooms, and laboratories. At the College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati, only 12% of critical equipment categories were available, with 71% of those functional across 110 categories.
Financial Mismanagement
Procurement Violations
The audit uncovered financial irregularities, including procurement violations. AAU avoided floating 88 tenders worth Rs 281.5 crore through the Assam government’s e-procurement system. State instructions from 2016 and 2018 mandate online procurement for goods and services exceeding Rs 0.50 crore. The university cited “lack of proper technical infrastructure and inadequate training” for this failure.
Wasteful Expenditure
Wasteful expenditure was also identified. Between 2011 and 2013, AAU spent approximately Rs 2.5 crore building a fisheries college at Kachamari. This site was later abandoned and the college shifted to Raha due to isolation and flood risk from rainwater and a hydroelectric project. The CAG report stated this expense was “wasteful” due to inadequate planning and site survey.
Careers360 has contacted AAU Vice Chancellor Bidyut Chandan Deka for a response to these audit findings. This report will be updated if a comment is received.