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Microlesson · 5-min read

Audit of Educational Institutions (Schools, Colleges, Universities)

## Audit of Educational Institutions

### A. General Procedures

  • For schools/colleges: Examine the Trust Deed or Regulations and note all provisions affecting accounts.
  • For universities: Refer to the Act of Legislature and regulations framed thereunder.
  • Read minutes of Managing Committee or Governing Body meetings; note resolutions affecting accounts.
  • Verify compliance with decisions regarding bank account operations and sanction of expenditure.

### B. Fee from Students

1. Check names in the Students Fee Register against Class Registers to verify enrolled students.

2. Compare receipt counterfoils with Cash Book entries; trace collections through the Fee Register.

3. Total up columns of the Fees Register per month/term — verify fees paid in advance are carried forward and irrecoverable arrears are written off under appropriate authority.

4. Check admission fees against admission slips signed by the head of institution; confirm amounts are credited to Capital Fund (unless the Managing Committee has decided otherwise).

5. Verify that free studentships and concessions were granted by an authorised person.

6. Confirm fines for late payment or absence were either collected or remitted under proper authority.

7. Confirm hostel dues were recovered before closing student accounts and refunding caution money.

### C. Other Receipts, Grants & Donations

  • Verify rental income from landed property against rent rolls.
  • Vouch income from endowments, legacies, interest, and dividends; inspect securities held.
  • Verify government or local authority grants with the memo of grant; ascertain reasons for any disallowed expenses.

### D. Expenditure

  • Verify Provident Fund money of staff has been invested in appropriate securities.
  • Vouch donations with the list published in the annual report; check purpose-specific donations were used for their intended purpose.
  • Vouch all capital expenditure and verify against Committee sanction in the minute book.
  • Enquire into any unduly heavy expenditure; check excess over budgeted amounts was duly sanctioned.
  • Verify salary increases for staff were sanctioned and minuted by the Committee.

### E. Assets & Liabilities

  • Report old heavy arrears on fees, dormitory rents, etc. to the Managing Committee.
  • Confirm caution money and student deposits are shown as liabilities (not transferred to revenue unless non-refundable).
  • Verify investments representing endowment funds for prizes are kept separate; excess income over prizes is accumulated and invested with the corpus.
  • Verify ordering, inspection on receipt, and issue of provisions, foodstuffs, clothing, and equipment.
  • Verify inventories of furniture, stationery, clothing, provisions, and equipment against the Inventory Register.

### F. Compliances

  • Confirm IT refund has been claimed and recovered on investment income (educational institutions are generally exempt from income tax).
  • Verify that separate statements of accounts exist for: Poor Boys Fund, Games Fund, Hostel, and Provident Fund of staff.

Worked example

### Example 1

Example: A college charges a caution deposit of ₹2,000 per student that is refundable on leaving. During audit, you notice these are credited to income. What is the issue and what should you do?

Answer: Caution money (refundable deposits) must be shown as a liability in the balance sheet, not as revenue. The auditor should flag this misclassification and recommend reversal to a liability account.

### Example 2

Example: A school receives a government grant of ₹10 lakhs for setting up a science lab. How do you verify this?

Answer: Vouch the grant against the memo of grant from the government authority. Verify the grant was used only for the specified purpose (science lab). If any expense was disallowed, ascertain the reasons and check whether it has been refunded or adjusted.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating refundable caution money as income — it must remain a liability until the student leaves and the deposit is actually forfeited.
  • Not separately verifying endowment fund investments — they must be kept segregated from general funds.
  • Missing the compliance check: separate accounts must exist for Poor Boys Fund, Games Fund, Hostel, and Staff Provident Fund.
  • Overlooking whether fee concessions and free studentships were granted by an authorised person — unauthorised concessions are an audit risk.
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