CBI to probe clearance to engg distance courses

The CBI is set to probe irregularities in the grant of approval to some deemed-to-be universities correspondence courses in engineering.

The Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry has approved handing over the case to the investigation agency following a Supreme Court's verdict in this connection last month.

The apex court, in its verdict on November 3, suspended all B Tech degrees awarded by four deemed-to-be-universities, including Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation, Tamil Nadu, to their students through distance education programmes in engineering between 2001 and 2005.

It also ordered a thorough investigation into the matter, holding that the grant of ex-post-facto approval to these four institutions correspondence course in engineering by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the recommendation of the erstwhile distance education council of the Indira Gandhi National Open University was "incorrect and illegal".  

The court observed that JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, Udaipur, Rajasthan; Institute of Advanced Studies in Education, Sardarshahr, Rajasthan; Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Uttar Pradesh; and Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation had not taken prior approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)  for offering technical courses.

An affidavit filed by Ved Prakash (former UGC chairman) during the hearing of the case disclosed how permissions were granted to introduce courses in the present cases without any authority, the court noted.

"On one hand, the authorities were proclaiming their policy statements and on the other, despite there being complaints, they went about granting permissions. We are, prima facie of the view that the conduct of the concerned officials needs to be looked into and investigated whether the exercise of power by them was completely genuine or colourable,"  the apex court said.