KOCHI: The new Mahatma Gandhi University Syndicate has constituted a sub-committee to probe alleged irregularities in granting affiliation to self-financing arts and science colleges and courses under the university from 2012-13 academic year onwards. The committee consists of Syndicate members Mr P.K.Harikumar, Dr.P.K.Padmakumar, Dr.R.Pragash, Dr. K. Krishnadas, Mr K. Sherafudeen and Dr. A. Jose. It is learnt that the sub-committee constituted through an order on October 18 has already completed its inspection of colleges in Idukki district and is expected to submit its report in one month after covering rest of the colleges under the university.
Colleges in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and parts of Alappuzha districts also come under MG University. A member of the committee preferring not to be named told DC that a total of 70 SF colleges and 1,000 courses were granted in the four year period. “The maximum number of colleges and courses were granted in 2013-14. Several of them do not have the basic infrastructure facilities like minimum required land, building, lab, hostel, library, playground and qualified teachers. A college needs to have minimum five acres of land to house it and many colleges allegedly do not adhere to this,” said the Syndicate member.
He said that these colleges were granted NOC by the government after an inspection by the then Syndicate sub-committee which recommended sanctioning of these courses to the State Government. “Large-scale corruption is also alleged in granting affiliation to such colleges. We are probing all angles and will submit the report to the Syndicate which will take a decision on what action to be taken on them,” he said.
