Former Vice-Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) V N Rajasekharan Pillai has been charged by the CBI for allowing two other universities to run courses violating norms.
Pillai is currently the executive vice-president of the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), ex officio Science and Technology principal secretary.
It has been alleged that Pillai, during his tenure as the Vice-Chancellor of the IGNOU, allowed the Punjab Technical University and the Sikkim Manipal University to run distance learning courses without required approval, amounting to violation of university statutes.
“They wanted details about the courses that were sanctioned to the two universities. I gave them all the information that I had. It was all technical matter,” Pillai told Express.
“While Central universities are free to start their own courses as per law, they are not permitted to start collaborative courses without getting approval from the regulator concerned,” sources said.
The CBI team conducted a search in Pillai’s house at Vettamukku here. The search that began early in the morning went on till 11.45 am.
Pillai has been booked for charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, abuse of official position and conspiracy.
The case has been charged by the Delhi office of the CBI.