BU paid 2L for Minto Hall, rented out own auditorium for 25k

BU paid 2L for Minto Hall, rented out own auditorium for 25k

Ramendra.Singh@timesofindia.com  22.09.2026

Bhopal: A day after TOI reported how a half-cup tea at Barkatullah University went for a princely Rs 450 and a 1-km ride to the campus cost Rs 3,000, more disturbing details tumbled out from its 2022-23 convocation event, raising further questions over alleged fiscal mismanagement. It now turns out that the varsity hosted its annual convocation at an external venue, Minto Hall, paying Rs 2 lakh as rental fee, despite having its own auditorium on campus. 

The varsity’s own auditorium was, instead, rented out to the Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (MPCST) for just 25,000, raising questions about the logic and costeffectiveness of the venue decision. The decision has drawn criticism from students, who have questioned why an outside venue was selected for the convocation.

The disclosures are gaining traction, inviting scrutiny of the varsity’s financial administration as it prepares to host the Bhopal Science Fair, organised by MPCST, from Sept 22. As the controversy unfolds, BU has decided to constitute a probe committee to examine the damning finds from the 2022-23 convocation event. The registrar, SB Singh, said the panel would look into the revelations around the convocation. 

Students have alleged that the contrasting rental amounts raise questions about the financial prudence and transparency of the university’s decision-making process, demanding an independent probe to determine if the expenses were justified. “This raises serious questions about the logic behind the decision,” a student said. Another said, “If the auditorium was available, the university should explain why it wasn’t used for its own convocation. The rental agreements and expenditure details must be made public.”