No effective inquiry conducted into suicide of engineering faculty: NHRC

CHENNAI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that no effective enquiry was conducted in to the suicide of engineering faculty T Vasanthavanan, which created headlines in 2018.
Calling the matter a case of “certificate slavery” and “credential death”, the commission on Tuesday asked for a detailed inquiry report from Additional Director (Examination), Directorate of Technical Education (DTE), within four weeks, failing which the commission would initiate section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act against him.

The faculty had killed himself after alleged harassment from a private engineering college that withheld his academic records. The commission observed that the police had not taken any action and said that it had directed the Department of Higher Education Secretary to submit detailed report.

In response, the department’s principal secretary in January, informed the commission that necessary directions were given to the DTE for submission of a requisite report. “However till date no response has been received,” commission noted.

The commission further observed that the parents of victim are forced to live in poverty. “The accused institute management persons have rapport with authorities concerned and are evading action. Millions of teachers in the nation are being subjected to ‘certificate slavery’,” the NHRC further observed.

‘Certificate of slavery’
The NHRC called the matter a case of “certificate slavery” and “credential death” and asked for a detailed inquiry report within four weeks