For students at BITS, ID cards function as credit cards at many of the eateries on campus. Students have an initial amount topped up in their card and are billed for any excess charges at the end of the semester. However, this time, the ID card system was inexplicably stopped a few days after the semester began and was restarted on the 12th of September, immediately before BOSM. The EPC spoke to the Student Welfare Division (SWD) to find out more about the ID card system and why it was temporarily stopped.
A basic requirement of ID card billing is the storage of a database of registered students on the billing software. Registration is a long, drawn-out process that goes well beyond the first two weeks of the semester, because of first-year students who transfer between campuses and students who register late. The procedure of getting credentials verified, biometrics done, and drawing up a timetable is time-consuming, as students keep arriving on campus till the middle of August. Only the SSMS (Society for Students’ Mess Services) gets a tentative list initially, in order to start the mess accounts. All eateries are supposed to start the ID process only after getting the green light from the SWD.
This semester, ANC started the ID card process without taking prior permission from the Dean of the SWD. The SWD was not happy when they found out about the non-compliance with the existing policy. ID card billing was stopped immediately, with students having to pay in cash for a span of two weeks or more. A formal apology was submitted to the Dean by ANC representatives, following which they were allowed to restart billing on ID cards.
This was not the first time that ANC has gotten into trouble with the SWD. The eateries on campus are supposed to submit their bills to the SWD by the first day of every month. Previously, ANC had been lax in submitting their bills on time. This resulted in multiple students from the graduating batch not getting billed, forming a sizeable hole in the Institute’s funds.
Professor Routroy expressed his concerns about the lack of transparency with the ID card system. He mentioned that students can use each other’s ID cards at any point of time, often leading to astronomical bills. They produce bills worth 30,000 to 40,000 leading to incessant calls from parents who are disbelieving of the amount. He went on to say that the system has a lot of flaws which need to be worked upon. He wished to implement procedures which will require verification in order to prevent fake signings and unregulated spending.