TU's Outstanding Audit Arrears Reach Rs 32.98 Billion, Exceed Annual Budget by Over Rs 2 Billion

The outstanding audit arrears (beruju) of Tribhuvan University (TU) have reached Rs 32,982,685,000, exceeding the university's total budget for the current fiscal year by more than Rs 2 billion.

Although the university has prioritized reducing outstanding audit observations in its annual policies and programs, progress has fallen short of expectations. According to the 63rd Annual Report of the Office of the Auditor General, the outstanding audit amount of Nepal's oldest and largest university has exceeded its annual budget.

The TU Assembly has approved a budget of Rs 30,871,108,000 for the current fiscal year 2083/84. The university's outstanding audit arrears stood at Rs 30,556,200,000 in the previous year, while the reported increase over the past year was Rs 2,446,999,000.

Despite conducting special campaigns to settle outstanding audit observations, the university has struggled to achieve its financial objectives due to the limited effectiveness of these initiatives. The figures also indicate an increase in financial irregularities.

TU Registrar Dr. Rabindra Shivakoti said the university is preparing special arrangements to expedite the settlement of outstanding audit observations, giving top priority to their verification and review.

The Office of the Auditor General's 63rd Annual Report stated that audits of 107 TU offices and units remained pending for the fiscal year 2081/82. Registrar Shivakoti informed that the final audits of all the offices identified in the report, including those with pending audits, had been completed by the end of Ashadh 2083.

In the fiscal year 2081/82, TU adopted a policy to reduce expenditure across its subordinate offices and units. The policy also sought to end the longstanding practice under which autonomous and decentralized units independently spent the revenue they generated.

Although the policy was intended to discourage these units from making discretionary expenditures under procedures they developed themselves, it could not be effectively implemented. Registrar Shivakoti identified this implementation failure as one of the major reasons behind the increase in outstanding audit arrears.

The university has also introduced a policy of providing incentive awards to its subordinate offices and units that achieve zero outstanding audit observations.

Registrar Shivakoti said, "We have adopted policies to make expenditure reduction and the identification and mobilization of financial resources more effective. I believe these measures will also help reduce outstanding audit arrears."