Education department forms committee to monitor conference funds misuse

The committee has been tasked to come up with guidelines on what constitutes a national and international seminar and conference.

Hyderabad: Baffled by several university departments and colleges organizing national and international conferences, seminars and workshops with hardly any national or international reputed scholars and experts, the Education department has constituted a committee to categorise these conferences with specific parameters.

The committee has been tasked to come up with guidelines on what constitutes a national and international seminar and conference.

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The department is learnt to have noticed that in the name of national and international with local topics, the organisers have been availing funds to the tune of Rs.50,000 and Rs.1 lakh, from the Telangana State Council of Higher Education.

Apart from availing on duty, the faculty members are publishing papers in such conferences and reflecting these publications in their Career Advancement Scheme for promotions.

According to a senior official, the international and national conference or seminar should have at least 50 per cent participation of foreign or delegates from other States in the country.

The topic should also have national or international level relevance besides funding should be extended only once or twice. “Based on the committee’s recommendations, the government will issue new guidelines,” the official added.