Six weeks after the University Grants Commission removed a top official for raising objections on the Rs 230 crore e-governance project and the manner in which deemed university status was being granted to private institutions, the Central Vigilance Commission has moved in to investigate the allegations of irregularities.Confirming this, CVC’s Vigilance Commissioner Sudhir Kumar said: “We are investigating the irregularities that have been brought to our notice. The media had also reported some of them and we took cognizance of the matter. A team of officials from the CVC is probing the allegations pertaining to UGC.”It is learnt that a team of top CVC officials went to the UGC headquarters on a “surprise visit” last Friday and seized all the relevant files pertaining to the alleged irregularities exposed by former UGC secretary Raju Sharma.The UGC had repatriated Sharma, a 1982 batch IAS officer, in mid-April, two months after he had joined the organisation. He had objected to the awarding of contracts for UGC’s e-governance projects and giving deemed university status to private institutes.Sharma’s repatriation, after he questioned UGC’s functioning, had reached the PMO and Department of Personnel and Training, which forwarded the allegations to the CVC.The CVC too, had voiced certain “concerns” when the e-governance issue was referred to it. Sharma had pointed out that the e-governance project was faulty and the UGC should conduct an assessment before going for it. He pointed out “deviation and distortion” in the manner in which the project was being handled. Ignoring his concerns, a UGC committee gave nod to the project.Sharma’s objections were over deemed university status that allowed private institutes to award nationally recognised degrees, to charge high fees, and to admit high number of students without Government’s approval.Sharma had alleged that deemed university status was being misused and the UGC was encouraging conditional recommendations, which was a logical fallacy. “It is the same as granting a driver’s licence to a person with a direction that he shall learn driving later,” Sharma had said. His note to stall any move on the applications for deemed university status by private institutes was overruled by UGC chairperson Sukhdeo Thorat. Another officer R S Chauhan quickly replaced Sharma.Defending his move, Thorat had said Sharma had only one-year and 10 month’s tenure left with the UGC and they needed someone with at least five-year tenure. Sharma was appointed on February 19 and the appointments committee of the Cabinet, headed by the PM, had cleared his appointment.
