CHENNAI:
Raj Bhavan on Tuesday clarified that it was based on information received from educationists that
Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit had spoken about corruption in the appointment of vice-chancellors.
On Saturday, while addressing a conference here, Purohit charged that several crores of rupees used to change hands in the appointment of vice-chancellors in the past. The governor said soon after he took charge, he put an end to corruption and ensured that VCs were appointed only on the basis of merit.
"The governor has not made any allegations against anybody about corruption or money being exchanged. He was only referring to information provided to him by certain educationists during his interaction with him," said a release signed by a Raj Bhavan joint director.
The release said in 2018 Tamil Nadu witnessed an arrest of a vice-chancellor by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), raids and registration of cases by the DVAC against two VCs and unseating of a vice-chancellor by the Madras high court. All these VCs had been appointed prior to 2018, it said.
"The changes in system of appointment of vice-chancellors have been brought by the governor following a policy of honesty, transparency and strict adherence to the state statutes," said the release.
“All the nine VCs appointed in 2018 till date are persons of high integrity and calibre. They have come through the due process. This will definitely help improve the quality of higher education in Tamil Nadu and pave the way for a bright future for the students of the state,” the release said.