KOTTAYAM: Hit by the latest bribery controversy, the Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) on Monday appointed a four-member syndicate sub-committee to conduct a detailed investigation into the incident in which a section officer demanded bribe from a student for issuing mark list.
On Saturday, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) officials caught C J Elsy, a section officer at the MBA section of the university, red-handed while receiving Rs 15,000, the first instalment of Rs 30,000 that she demanded from an MBA student for releasing the mark list and provisional certificate.
At the same time, the syndicate found no discrepancies in the promotion of Elsy from a last grade servant to university assistant, done before the recruitment to the university was handed over to the Public Service Commission.
MGU Vice-Chancellor Prof Sabu Thomas said the terms of reference of the sub-committee include inquiring about the entire works held at the MBA section since January 1, pertaining to examinations.
Matters related with post results corrections, activities in MBA section, the period of an employee continuing as assistant section officer in Pareeksha Bhavan and its situations, the reason for students not getting results on time even after publishing the same, status of pending files in each section and the method of publishing the results of the mercy chance examination are also included in the terms of reference.
The committee chaired by Harikrishnan, consists of B Kerala Varma, A Jose and Shajila Beevi. The university has already transferred an assistant registrar and a section officer in connection with the bribery issue.
As part of remedial measures, the syndicate assigned university registrar to transfer employees, who are working in the same post for three years or more, to varsity’s various branches. Branch officers will be assigned to ensure that section officers and statutory officers are fulfilling duties without fail.
A fool-proof bio-metric system will be introduced to monitor the attendance of employees and action will be taken against those not complying with time schedules. Cameras and magnetic doors will be installed in the corridors of Pareeksha Bhavan and public spaces.
Minister seeks report, demands strict action
T’Puram: Higher Education Minister R Bindu has demanded strict action against the employee of MGU who was caught accepting a bribe from a student. She directed the Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) to seek a report on the incident from the MGU registrar. “Practices such as demanding money from students for university services is totally unacceptable,” Bindu said.