Indore: Citing directives by Raj Bhawan, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) is set to take action on an admission granted to a student in violation of norms nearly 25 years ago. This case remained a topic of discussion in the university corridors since the illegal admission took place but nobody acted until a complaint was filed with Raj Bhawan in 2011.
In 1994, Manish Rathore had taken admission under NRI quota in 5-year MMS course offered by International Institute of Professional Studies (IIPS), an entity of DAVV. Many people termed the admission illegal but no formal complaint was lodged for many years.
In 2011, one Santosh Dixit lodged a complaint with Raj Bhawan claiming that irregularities took place in the admission process. He claimed that Rathore did not take entrance test for admission and also did not obtain 55 percent marks in class XII, which was minimum eligibility criteria.
The complainant also alleged that he was given benefit of employee ward quota and did not pay single penny as a fee and thereby inflicted a loss of more than Rs 3 lakh on university’s exchequer. On the directives of Raj Bhawan, a three-member committee comprising Prof Anand Sapre, Yamini Karmarkar and Suresh Patidar was constituted which probed the matter and found the complaint true.
The committee found that the entrance test for MMS course was held in February, 1994, in which Rathore did not appear. He had submitted application in April 1994 and was granted admission in June under NRI quota. The committee also discovered that no documents supporting NRI sponsorship of Rathore was found with the IIPS.
For two semesters, his admission remained under NRI quota but in third semester he was shifted to employee ward quota as his mother was an employee of the university. Employee wards are also required to give entrance exam for admission but he did not take any entrance test and got benefit of employee quota under which he did not have to pay a single penny as fee. In total, the university suffered a loss of Rs 3,03,350 because of illegal benefit of employee ward quota granted to Rathore as he had not submitted any official document confirming that his mother teaches in DAVV.
Raj Bhawan directives overlooked for six years
In its letter dated June 23, 2012, Raj Bhawan citing the probe report termed the case as an example of serious administrative, financial and academic irregularity. It directed the university executive council to take stern action in the matter so that it becomes a lesson to all and such incidents do not repeat in future.
The Raj Bhawan’s directives were overlooked as no action was taken into the matter for more than six years. In 2017, the Raj Bhawan sent a reminder to DAVV after which a fact finding committee was constituted. Now, the case is going to executive council to be held on February 18.