Jahangirnagar University (JU) announced its annual budget of Tk323.35 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Saturday, with Tk9.23 crore allocated for research and innovation.
Additionally, the revised budget for the 2024–25 fiscal year, amounting to Tk337.93 crore, has also been approved.
JU treasurer Dr M Abdur Rab presented the budget at the university’s annual senate session held in the senate hall, chaired by vice-chancellor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan.
How is the budget allocated?
An analysis of the 2025–26 fiscal budget shows that the highest allocation Tk181.86 crore has been made for salaries and allowances, which accounts for 56.24% of the total budget.
The second-largest allocation is in the services sector Tk72.80 crore (23.31%), followed by pensions and retirement benefits Tk38.77 crore (11.99%).
Only Tk9.23 crore or 2.85% of the total budget has been allocated for research and innovation.
The allocation for primary healthcare support stands at Tk45 lakh.
For vehicle procurement, Tk2.28 crore has been set aside, including plans to purchase one microbus, one ambulance, one air-conditioned coaster and one large bus.
Additionally, around Tk4 crore has been allocated for the construction of a boundary wall, replacement of old electrical lines, and the installation of RFID technology in the university library.
Rising budget deficit a growing concern
The gap between the university’s income and expenditure continues to widen.
According to the treasurer, the proposed budgets sent to the University Grants Commission (UGC) were Tk415.78 crore (revised for 2024–25) and Tk434.46 crore (proposed for 2025–26).
However, the UGC approved significantly less, Tk337.93 crore and Tk323.35 crore, respectively.
The budget deficits over the past three fiscal years were Tk14.50 crore in 2023–24, Tk19.96 crore in 2022–23, and Tk3.01 crore in 2021–22, reflecting a sharp upward trend.
This pattern indicates that the budget shortfall has increased nearly sevenfold within just three years, posing a significant financial challenge for the university.
Where does the income come from?
For the fiscal year 2025–26, Jahangirnagar University's own income excluding UGC grants—is projected at Tk44 crore, generated mainly from admission form sales (Tk23.45 crore), student fees (Tk6.34 crore), various charges and other fees (approximately Tk3.71 crore), and income from property and other sources (around Tk10 crore).
In contrast, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is expected to provide a significantly larger allocation of Tk279.35 crore.
Is a welfare-oriented budget realistic under such financial pressure?
Regarding the budget, Treasurer Professor Abdur Rab said: "A revised budget of Tk415.78 crore for 2024–2025 and a proposed main budget of Tk434.46 crore for 2025–2026 were submitted to the University Grants Commission (UGC). However, the UGC approved only Tk337.93 crore for the revised 2024–2025 budget and Tk323.35 crore for the main 2025–2026 budget."
He added: "Currently, the university’s revenue fund has a deficit of Tk80.37 crore, and an estimated minimum revenue shortfall of Tk20 crore is likely in the current fiscal year. Under such financial pressure, preparing a welfare-oriented budget has become extremely difficult."
Heavy burden from transport and school/college units
Vice Chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan said: “In FY 2023–24, excluding the salaries of transport office staff, the university spent nearly Tk13 crore on vehicle maintenance, fuel, rentals, road taxes and related expenses."
"Additionally, although Jahangirnagar University School and College receive no government allocation, the university spends around Tk10 crore annually to operate them. These two sectors have been significantly contributing to the growing budget deficit, while the university has very limited sources of internal revenue to offset these expenses," he added.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan further said that with the aim of introducing multidimensionality in education and research at the university, a special meeting of the syndicate held on March 17 approved, in principle, the establishment of a Center for Asian Studies and an Institute of Islamic Studies and Theology.
In the same meeting, a decision was also made to add two new disciplines to the existing three disciplines in the Department of Fine Arts.
Following this, the Academic Council meeting was held on Monday, and two separate committees were formed to assess the relevance of the proposed centers and disciplines and to work toward their implementation.
Current stats of faculty, staff and students
Jahangirnagar University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Kamrul Ahsan said: “At present, the university has 717 faculty members, 380 officers, 970 third-class employees and 506 fourth-class employees. Additionally, 102 faculty members are currently on study leave for higher education and 11 are on lien. There are also 52 teachers serving at the Jahangirnagar University School and College."
He added: “A total of 12,690 students are currently enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs at the university. In the last academic year, 1,067 students graduated with a bachelor’s (honors) degree, 1,182 with a master’s degree, three earned MPhil degrees, and 47 researchers were awarded PhDs.”
