Job scam: VTU forms one-member panel to hear faculties

The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has formed a single-member inquiry committee to hear the responses of the 64 faculties who were served notices for the discrepancies in their appointments during the term of former vice-chancellor H Maheshappa.

The faculties in question, out of the 168 recruited during the term of Maheshappa,
were declared not up to the mark by VTU last month after its internal committee suspected irregularities in appointments.

Jaganath Reddy, registrar of VTU, told DH, “The responses have been referred to the single-member committee. All the 64 candidates will be heard by the committee and it will give directions on the course of action, if the charges are proved. Action will be taken by the university’s executive council.”

In 2016, the Justice Keshavanarayana Committee was constituted by Governor Vajubhai Vala to conduct an inquiry into the alleged financial irregularities in VTU. It was found that many illegal appointments were made during the tenure of Maheshappa. Later, VTU’s executive council constituted a new committee. It found 64 cases in which there were prima facie violations.

The faculties in question include professors, assistant professors and associate professors appointed at different VTU centres.

Most of them did not have the basic qualification for the posts and produced fake caste certificates and academic certificates.