SGPC run institutes charge “SGPC Gratuity Fund” from its students
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
Students who are studying in the educational institutes run by prime religious body of Sikh’s- Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) is taking money from the students, under a head “SGPC Gratuity Fund”.
“All students who take admission in any of the SGPC run institute is bound to give the money under “SGPC Gratuity Fund”, along with other onetime charges, as a part of the college fees. Why a student is bound to pay Gratuity Fund for the employees of SGPC , when SGPC has its own resources? SGPC is an institution in itself and they can manage it well. ” said Sehaj Singh a student. He further added that ,” suppose on an average 750 new students takes admission in SGPC run college and a college charges Rs. 400 per student. It comes out Rs 3.00 lacs. SGPC has 50 colleges. It comes out to be Rs. 1.50 crore per year from 50 colleges alone. It means the whole Gratuity of SGPC employees are being borne by the students. The professional colleges of SGPC might be charging bigger ammount under this fund, as their fees are more than traditional courses.”
“Gratuity is a lump sum amount paid by the employer to the employee as a token of appreciation for the services they have provided towards the organistaion/company/ institute, under the Payment of Gratuity Act 1972. Gratuity is payable in the event of superannuation or retirement or resignation or death or total disablement caused due to accident or diseases, only after rendering continuous service for not less than five years” said taxation advisor Adish Bajaj
Bajaj further added that, “it’s not advisable that any organisation/ institute/ company are taking Gratuity Fund from the students, as a part of the fees. Students are not bound to contribute, even Rs 1 in the Gratuity Fund of any organization/ institute as it’s the matter between the employer and its employees. In this case student is neither the employer nor an employee.”
When contacted SGPC Director Education, Dr Tejinder Kaur Dhaliwal, under whose all SGPC run educational institutes came, said “it’s not under my knowledge. My predecessor might know it, why we are charging gratuity fund from the students. But, I’ll check it.
When contacted Dr Dharminder Singh Ubha, Principal Khalsa College Patiala and former SGPC Director Education, he admitted that “yes we are charging it. It’s no harm in charging a nominal, one time amount from the students, at the time of admission, as the staff is serving the students.” When questioned, why students are compelled to pay, even the nominal amount for every staff member of such a big organization-SGPC, he said “every institute takes many funds from the students, at the time of admission. Private institute don’t disclose the fund heading and take a lumpsum amount where as SGPC discloses every funds head, where they are taking how much amount in which fund.”
When contacted Dr Kashmir Singh. Principal Mata Gujri College Fatehgarh Sahib, he admitted that “we are taking SGPC Gratuity Fund from the students at admission time only. Not with yearly / semester fees.”
When contacted Parabdeep Kaur, Principal Sahibzada Fateh Singh Public School Guru Ka Bagh, Amritsar, she said “it’s a matter of the head office. We don’t know majorly about this.”
When contacted Bibi Jagir Kaur, president SGPC, on the issue why SGPC run institutes charge “SGPC Gratuity Fund” from its students she said” I don’t know anything about this. I’ll get it checked.”
SGPC has established a large number of institutions, As per information available on directorate of education of SGPC website, at present, the SGPC is running about 50 colleges and 32 Schools, which include Medical College; Dental College; Nursing college; Engineering Colleges; Education College and a number of other Postgraduate and Undergraduate Colleges providing specialized Education in Management, Computer Sciences, Life Sciences , Commerce, Humanities Pure Sciences, etc. in Punjab, Haryana, Mumbai (Maharashtra) ,Uttar Pradesh. S.G.P.C. has also set up a full-fledged multi-disciplinary University “Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University” at Fatehgarh Sahib.
SGPC had established its first college “Guru Nanak Khalsa College” at Mumbai in 1937.
September 11,2021
