...for 40 lakh, Anna university VC hired ineligible candidates as professors

CHENNAI: During his three-year term as vice-chancellor of Anna University in 2013-16, Professor M Rajaram appointed four assistant professors, one associate professor and one professor without them submitting their experience certificate, DVAC has found.
The interview marks were also marked in pencil so that they could be manipulated in favour of ineligible candidates during appointments, DVAC has said in the FIR filed on Friday. DVAC said around Rs 25-40 lakh might have been paid per post to the VC. The maximum score in interview was fixed to 20 instead of 10, in violation of a Madras high court order.

Apart from Rajaram, the accused are assistant professors Jayashree (bio-medical engineering), Helen Kalavathi (chemical engineering), Balamurugan (electronic engineering), Mandhakani (material science) , associate professor of nano-science M Arivanandham and professor V Jayalakshmi of the electronics and communication department. None of them submitted experience certificates in the prescribed format, yet were given marks by the selection committee headed by Rajaram, DVAC said.

Arivanandham had falsely declared that he had guided a PhD student to get interview marks, while working in a Japanese university during the period, DVAC said. He got four marks in interview which he was not entitled to. Jayalakshmi failed to submit proof of 14 years experience and yet was given a maximum of 15 marks, DVAC said. Mandhakani, who had no teaching experience, was appointed despite other eligible candidates in the SC community who had 10 or more years of teaching experience, DVAC said. Balamurugan, who had only three years of teaching experience, was given the post despite availability of other eligible candidates in the most backward community with 10 or more years of experience, DVAC said. He was given six marks. Helen Kalavathi was given maximum 15 marks in the interview despite not submitting the experience certificate. Jayashree was given 12 marks in the interview despite her papers not being in order, DVAC said.

DVAC said this was a violation of the AICTE, UGC and selection norms framed by the high court. During his term from May 2013-2016, Rajaram had appointed 21 professors, 33 associate professors and 54 assistant professors after getting 98, 239 and 268 applications respectively. A case of cheating, criminal conspiracy, corruption and forgery has been filed.