BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has recommended K Janardhanam, professor at Canara Bank School of Management, for the post of registrar of evaluation, Bangalore University.
Janardhanam faces a disproportionate assets case with the Lokayukta, according to documents accessed by Express. He also allegedly runs Sri Venkateshwara Education Charitable Trust, an organisation at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, without the mandatory permission from the university.
Siddaramaiah has already been facing flak for recommending a Congressman to head the Karnataka Public Service Commission, which hires the state’s top bureaucrats. Convention demands that a distinguished non-political person be appointed for the position, the Opposition has been saying.
Siddaramaiah has again chosen an academic under a cloud for a responsible position. He has sent a note to the Higher Education Department, recommending Janardhanam’s name. The department is seeking the opinion of Bangalore University in this regard. “It is the procedure to get the university’s view,” said a departmental official.
Janardhanam has other blemishes in his record. In 2001, his appointment as reader was declared illegal and the government had to cancel it. Another major allegation is that he claimed reservation benefits within three years of his migration from Andhra Pradesh to Karnataka. The rules say those who migrate from one state to another cannot get caste reservations. But Janardhanam claimed a job under the scheduled caste quota by getting a caste certificate.
A powerful private college lobby forced the CM’s hand, sources said. Prof Ninge Gowda, the present registrar of evaluation, is not yielding to pressure and is acting tough against malpractices.
“After taking charge, Ninge Gowda has tightened the system in the examination and evaluation departments. The distance education lobby and some private colleges are behind the note,” said a senior Bangalore University official.
The colleges are also sore with Ninge Gowda because he took a tough stand against them for failing to send evaluators to appraise answer scripts at the university.
Another Mis-step
A few months ago, Siddaramaiah had recommended Prof R K Somashekar’s name for the post of registrar (administration) at Bangalore University or Mysore University.
An environmental science professor, Somashekar faces an inquiry into various charges.
Unusual Note
While sending notes, it is common for the CM to direct the department concerned to take appropriate action under the rules. But in this instance, he has specifically instructed the Higher Education Department to appoint Janardhanam as registrar of evaluation.