JUST launches cashless fee system

Jashore University of Science and Technology has introduced an automated digital payment system for collecting student fees without service charges, becoming the first public university in the country to introduce such a system, according to the university.

The initiative is aimed at transforming the university into a fully cashless and automated campus while reducing students' time and inconvenience in paying fees.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md Iarul Kabir inaugurated the ekpay payment gateway at his office in the university's administrative building at 3:00 pm on 20 September. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan and Treasurer Professor Dr. Mohammad Faruk Hasan were present at the event.

In his inaugural speech, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md Iarul Kabir said, “Jashore University of Science and Technology has always been at the forefront of reducing students' time and inconvenience. As the first public university in the country, we have brought all types of student fees and payment services under digital automation without any service charge. This marks the end of long queues at banks and ensures 100 percent transparency and accountability in administrative activities. We will continue our technology-friendly initiatives to build a student-friendly and fully digital cashless campus.”

Speaking about the automated digital payment system, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Sheikh Mahmudul Hasan said, “Our main objective is to save students' time and make their campus life easier and more dynamic. With digital automation introduced for all payments, students will no longer have to spend time standing in queues to pay fees. The facility to pay any fee from home with a single click is a major step towards creating a student-friendly environment. At the same time, it has created 100 percent transparency in administrative transactions.”

Treasurer Professor Dr. Mohammad Faruk Hasan said, “We have introduced this digital automated payment system to ensure 100 percent transparency, accountability and modernisation in the university's overall financial activities. It will make the university's fund management more organised and secure while reducing the use of traditional paper-based documents such as vouchers and challans. When students pay fees directly through digital channels, banking reports can be generated instantly and accounts can be updated immediately. Through the digitalisation of financial management, we are working to develop JUST into a digitally enabled public university in the country.”

Under the new system, students can pay semester fees, migration certificate fees, medium-of-instruction certificate fees, testimonials, course registration fees, central registration late fees, admission fees, grade sheet fees, transcripts, provisional certificates, hall-related fees, library fees and other charges without any service charge.

The system also covers admission fees for undergraduate, master's, MPhil and PhD programmes.

Students can pay the fees from home through mobile financial services, internet banking and debit or credit cards. Once a payment is completed, an electronic receipt will be credited to the student's account and the transaction will be automatically updated in the university's central database.

The system is expected to reduce students' dependence on conventional bank-based fee payment procedures while enabling more automated record-keeping and financial management across the university.

//DBTech/NHJN/BPO//