Principal of Kala Mandalam art school suspended for copying in exam

Principal, M Rajasekharan, was earlier given a show cause notice after he was caught while copying in the exam hall by the invigilator at Cheruthuruthy in Thrissur district earlier this month.

The decision to suspend Rajasekharan, pending inquiry, was taken by the Executive Board of the Kala Mandalam, the school for training in performing and traditional art forms like Kathakali, raised to the status of a deemed university a year back.

The action was taken as the board found Rajasekharan's explanation unsatisfactory, Vice-Chancellor of Kalamandalam Prof K G Paulose told reporters here yesterday.

On conferring the deemed university status to the institute, the teachers, most of them performers themselves, were given some time to obtain academic degrees.

For the MA (Kathakali) degree, one had to write BA Part one English paper also. Rajasekharan was allegedly caught after five of the six additional sheets given to him were found without the invigilator's signature when he returned them.

Rajasekharan, who has only one more year to retire, had contended that he was a victim of a pre-planned drama to trap him and blamed some of his rivals.