BENGALURU:Governor Vajubhai Vala has extended the tenure of the Justice Bhaktavathsala Commission of Inquiry by three months. The Commission is probing the alleged irregularities in Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) in Mysuru.
On Thursday, Vala issued an order extending the tenure of the commission till September-end. The commission began work soon after it was appointed on December 19, 2014. The Governor had asked it to submit its report within 15 days. However, its tenure was extended by three months on January 17 and it got another three-month extension on April 8.
Justice Bhaktavathsala recently visited an institute in Mumbai, affiliated to KSOU, to check irregularities in the MoUs with private educational institutions. This institute has 42,000 students across the country. He will also visit another institute in Delhi soon. MoUs with private educational institutions were a major issue that needed detailed probe by the commission.
The panel is looking into 14 issues which include construction work taken up without following the Transparency Act, recruitments made during 2010-2012 in violation of rules, promotions to various posts, opening of 21 regional centres, wasteful expenditure by printing and purchasing 20 lakh marks cards, statutes, ordinances and regulations that were not placed before legislature, construction of five regional centres, etc.
Based on an interim report submitted by the commission on the tampering of marks cards, some KSOU officials were suspended, and criminal cases were booked against them recently.
When contacted, Justice Bhakthavatsala confirmed that the deadline was extended, but refused to divulge the findings of the ongoing probe.
He recently visited KSOU, where he recorded the statements of witnesses — University of Mysore Vice-Chancellor K S Rangappa, KSOU Vice-chancellor M G Krishnan and others.
‘Letter Written to UGC’
Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande said in the interest of students, a letter has been written to the UGC seeking recognition to the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU)’s courses. He told reporters here on Saturday that as per the UGC guidelines, KSOU has dropped technical courses and measures are being taken to close the centres that were opened outside the state. He added that rumours about Housing Minister Ambareesh’s resignation are not true.