A section of teaching and non-teaching staff and students of the Kerala University of Veterinary Sciences (KVASU) have submitted a joint memorandum to Governor P. Sathasivam, who is also Chancellor of the university, alleging irregularities in the running of the university and seeking a probe into the way the university was being run.
In the memorandum, signed by representatives of various organisations, they have pointed out the undue delay in constituting a full Board of Management, which is the chief executive body of the university, and alleged that this was giving the Vice Chancellor unlimited powers. The Board of Management should have been constituted within six months from the date of commencement of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act, 2010.
However, even after four years, the university had only a partially representative eight-member body instead of the 14-member body envisaged in the Act.
The memorandum also alleges payment of Rs.2.11 crore as consultancy fee to a private agency for preparing a master plan for implementation of projects envisaged under a Rs.100-crore Central government grant.
The payment to the private agency was done overlooking the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
Many of the structures were planned to be constructed on the Pookode campus, but not a single building has come up on the campus so far. There was similar arbitrariness and breach of procedures in the purchase of Integrated University Management System (IUMS) software and installation of videoconferencing facility at the university.
The memorandum also alleges corruption and nepotism in the appointment of the Director of Entrepreneurship and general deterioration in academic standards owing to absence of discussions on new courses, enhancement of seats, and modes of instruction with the Vice Chancellor taking all the key discussions without any broad consultation.
‘Rs.2.11 crore paid as consultancy fee to a private agency’
Breach of procedures in purchase of IUMS software alleged
