Three-member panel to probe PhD admission issue at Sanskrit varsity

KOCHI: Barely had the controversy over faculty appointments settled, and the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) in Kalady is in the eye of another -- this time related to PhD admissions. After the head of the department of Sanskrit Literature was asked to step down citing deviation from university rules regarding the PhD admission procedure, allegations have risen that the move came after some SFI activists failed to make it.

However, Vice Chancellor Dharmaraj Adat refuted the allegations.“The HoD was asked to temporarily step down from the position pending investigation. A three-member panel has been selected by the syndicate to look into the matter,” Adat said.

He said a new HoD took charge on Saturday. “When it comes to PhD admissions, the university has a set of guidelines as set by its academic council. Every department follows the said guidelines,” he said.According to the guidelines, after inviting application from candidates, an entrance examination is conducted. Successful candidates have to present their research proposal before a research advisory committee of the said department.

“It should be noted that the committee is comprised of all the PhD guides in the department and also external experts,” Adat said.

However, unlike other departments, it was found that the Sanskrit Literature department had added around 10 per cent of the marks obtained by the candidates in the entrance examination, the VC said.“This came to the notice of the students who sent letters to me and the academic council. Following this, a preliminary investigation was conducted by the dean and it was found that such a thing had indeed happened,” he said.

Making news for wrong reasons
After Sanskrit Literature department head was asked to step down for deviating from university rules on PhD admissions, it was alleged that the move was prompted by some SFI cadre’s failure to make it.