Karnataka to probe ‘irregularities’ in appointment of billionaire Dayanand Pai in BMS Educational Trust

In February this year, the then BJP government passed the BMS University Act amid wide criticism from Opposition parties. Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former chief minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy had earlier alleged corruption in the appointment of billionaire and realtor Pai as the life trustee of BMS Educational Trust and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the issue. Kumaraswamy also demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter of ‘unjustifiably’ approving the amendment that ‘privatised’ the public trust.

Kumaraswamy, during his tenure as chief minister in 2018, had rejected a file seeking the approval of four amendments to the original trust deed, which he said went against the intent of the original deed.

The BMS Educational Trust runs the BMS College of Engineering, BMS Evening College of Engineering, BMS Institute of Technology, BMS College for Women and BMS Law College.

State Education Policy committee soon

During the meeting held with Siddaramaiah, Sudhakar also submitted the final list of appointees for the committee to draft the State Education Policy (SEP). Confirming this to The Indian Express, Sudhakar said, “Both school education and higher education departments have submitted the list of members for the committee to form SEP. The chief minister will review them and finally appoint the chairman for the committee. We will come out with the announcement soon.”

In August, the state government had given an in-principle nod to appoint a committee to frame Karnataka’s own education policy while doing away with the Centre’s National Education Policy (2020).

In a high-level meeting chaired by Siddaramaiah with writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa, School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Sudhakar and officials of the school and higher education department, it was decided to not disturb the existing education policy framework and to allow batches which have been following the National Education Policy (NEP) to complete their third year which will culminate in 2024.