COIMBATORE:Bharathiar University has referred to its Ethics Committee the complaints lodged by PhD research scholars against two members of the English Department. The committee will submit its report in 20-30 days, Vice Chancellor G James Pitchai told reporters here on Monday.
On the Category-B PhD issue, a decision will be taken very soon as a 10-member committee that look into it has given its report, he said. Regular research scholars had staged a protest last week against continuing the system, which is against UGC guidelines.
The head of the English Department told reporters that he had lodged a complaint orally in April and in writing in June about a conspiracy by some faculty members to defame him. He had asked the university to inquire into the matter and lodge a police complaint.
BU Registrar K G Senthilvasan said that while the university was inquiring into it, the PhD scholars had lodged police complaints.
On the achievements of the university, the Vice Chancellor said new departments like Biochemistry, History and Tourism had been opened. A common computing centre has been built with UGC’s financial support of Rs 1.2 crore.
The UGC has provided grants amounting to Rs 57.38 crore as development assistance and for schemes and projects.
Besides, the DRDO has sanctioned Rs 27 crore for advanced research activities under Phase II of a BU-DRDO joint programme.
The university Health Centre has been upgraded to Bharathiar University Hospital with full-time doctors and nurses and an ambulance.
A Rs 1.5-crore men’s hostel and a Rs 5-crore women’s hostel are being constructed. Also, the university will soon establish an animal house of international standards.
He also said that 4,828 candidates appeared for the MPhil and PhD common entrance test conducted at six places. However, 426 of the applicants were absent.