Ahmedabad: A fresh dispute is brewing between Gujarat’s state-run universities and the education department over the “missing” crores in registration fees under the Gujarat Common Admission System (GCAS).

Admissions to undergraduate and post-graduate arts, science and commerce courses in state-run universities, including Gujarat University, were carried out through GCAS for the past two years.

Despite repeated objections and controversies surrounding this centralised system, the state govt continued to insist on conducting admissions only through GCAS. Now, a dispute has arisen over the portion of registration fees that the state hands over to the varsities after the admission process is over, according to sources in the universities.

While the portal has faced criticism for technical glitches in the past, the current dispute centres on a broken payment pipeline. Traditionally, GCAS remits Rs 100 per student to universities once admissions conclude. The universities then distribute a portion (typically Rs 30 or more) to individual colleges to cover administrative overheads.

However, for the current academic year, universities claim they have not received a single rupee from the state. Adding fuel to the fire, reports have emerged that the department has bypassed universities entirely, allegedly making direct payments of Rs 30 per student to select colleges that submitted independent representations.

University sources warn that the withheld funds amount to crores of rupees, stalling essential academic and administrative budgets. Some universities have already approached the education department, demanding an immediate release of their share. Officials close to the matter suggest that the issue could escalate further if payments are not released soon.

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