BGSBU faces major financial crunch, teaching posts lie vacant

Srinagar, Nov 1: Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), established in 2002 to promote higher education in the Pir Panjal region, is battling a severe financial and staffing crisis that has crippled its functioning.

Official records tabled in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, in response to an unstarred question raised by MLA Javed Iqbal Choudhary, reveal a grim picture of fiscal instability, rising vacancies, and declining academic engagement at the university.

According to the government’s reply, during 2022–23, the university’s total receipts stood at Rs 42.33 Cr, while the expenditure was Rs 44.45 Cr, resulting in a deficit of Rs 2.11 Cr.

The situation worsened in 2023–24, when income declined to Rs 39.53 Cr, while expenditure rose to Rs 45.71 Cr, leaving a gap of Rs 6.18 Cr. In 2024–25, the deficit stood at Rs 2.19 Cr, and up to September 2025, the shortfall was recorded at Rs 0.80 Cr.

The university’s primary financial support comes from the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The Grant-in-Aid rose from Rs 22.99 Cr in 2022–23 to Rs 34.95 Cr in 2024–25, while the CAPEX grant fell sharply from Rs 4.22 Cr to a mere Rs 0.44 Cr over the same period. Internal income generated from fees and other resources also dropped drastically from Rs 19.33 Cr in 2022–23 to Rs 7.06 Cr up to September this year.

The government reply explicitly stated: “Presently, for the current Financial Year 2025–26, budget Grant-in-Aid amounting to Rs 35.00 Cr towards salaries of permanent employees of BGSBU is provided by the J&K government whereas the actual salary expenditure is estimated to be Rs. 48.48 Crores, resulting in a shortfall of Rs 13.48 Cr for the Financial Year 2025–26.”

It further clarified, “There is presently no budgetary support either for filling the vacant posts of teaching and non-teaching staff or towards general establishment expenses including operating and maintenance expenses, which continue to be met predominantly through meagre internal resources of the University.”

In a significant disclosure, the university confirmed that the expected contribution from the Waqf Board has not been received for years.

“The University has time and again requested for the release of the annual contribution from Waqf of Rs 2.0 Cr (per year). However, the same has not been released since October, 2019 despite repeated requests of the University,” the reply stated.

The university’s total student enrolment for 2025–26 stands at 2,304, including 2,401 students in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and 97 pursuing PhD degrees, showing stagnation in academic growth.

Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University is a state university located in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, established by an Act of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly in 2002 and made fully operational in 2005.

It is governed by the University Grants Commission and is a member of the Association of Indian Universities. Named after the revered Sufi saint Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah—whose shrine initially contributed financially to the university—the institution was envisioned as a hub of higher learning for the remote Pir Panjal region.

Set amidst the scenic foothills of the Pir Panjal range, about 154 kilometres from Jammu city, BGSBU is known for its natural beauty and biodiversity. However, years of fiscal neglect, lack of recruitment, and withdrawal of institutional support have pushed the university into what many describe as its “worst-ever institutional crisis.”