EDAPPADI VERSUS SURAPPA
Edappadi
Government in its latest move to probe the activities of Surappa – the present
Vice Chancellor of Anna University was a pure act of witch hunt and vendetta
politics against the most honourable proven academician and honest upright administrator.
Surappa, on
hearing the judicial probe against him for corruption charges, remarked that he
is being crucified for his honesty and straightforwardness and corrupt-free
administration and is truly upset by the move.
The probe,
it seems to me, is like Edappadi Government’s plan to make a cross with the
supply of hammer by his most hated opponent DMK Party Chief Stalin and nails by
Stalin’s Sister Kanimozhi (both of whom had staged darna against the
appointment of Surappa by the Governor on the plea that he is a kannadiga) in
order to crucify Surappa on the cross – “Made by Edappadi Government”!
The probe
was originally contemplated on basis of an anonymous complaint by someone from
Aathikudi, Lalkudi Taluq, Tiruchi received on 21-02-2020 (the person, his
address and his cell number – are all fakes) and on receipt of anna university
reply, the file was closed. But, after 9 months, the complaint letter was given
life by the Edappadi Government to book Surappa!
The above
anonymous complainant named A. Suresh –
fake person – had written that Sakthinathan, Deputy Director, Centre for
Cosntitutent Colleges and Surappa were involved in corruption to the tune of
Rs.200 crore. He accused the two collecting nearly rs.80 crore by taking bribes
of rs.13 lacs to rs.15 lacs per candidate, for the recruitment of temporary
teacher fellows of the constituent colleges and Anna University.
Other
Complainants were: C. Varadarajan and Selladurai of ‘Save Anna University’, R.
Adhikesavan (Surappa appointed his daughter in the University), two other
complainants stating that appointments without the approval from the syndicate,
wrong information to Govt. ect. The
contents of complaints were not specific. Further all Complainants’ status seem
to be of dubious and malicious credentials as compared with MK Surappa!
Hence
corruption charges were from one A. Suresh who could not be identified at the
address given or could be contacted in the given cell number, but, Edappadiyar
Government had instituted a probe on the strength of Suresh’s allegations
against Surappa.
The state
government said that retired justice P Kalaiyarasan will investigate the
allegations and submit a report within three months. Among the allegations made
against the Anna University Vice-Chancellor are bribery to the tune of Rs 80
crore, examination scams and giving wrong information to All India Council for
Technical Education (AICTE).
The probing
judge will also look at contracts and agreements entered into by the University
during Surappa’s tenure, besides checking for any lapses or abuse of official
position by any person associated with the University.
Justice P.
Kalaiyarasan had issued a public notice advising the public to lodge
complaints, if any, against Surappa. Such a course seems to be laughable, as
the Government is duty bound to announce a probe only after getting complaints
and not later.
Vice
Chancellor Surappa was appointed by the Governor of Tamilnadu and hence it is
very much doubtful whether the Tamilnadu Government could initiate
administrative probe without the knowledge and approval of Governor. Banwarilal
Purohit, Governor of Tamil Nadu, appointed M.K. Surappa as vice-chancellor of
Anna University at Raj Bhavan on 12th April 2018 for a period of 3
years.
Surappa was
appointed as Vice-Chancellor after being selected from 170 applications
received for the post from all over the country and 9 candidates were short
listed for interview and vice-chancellor search panel was headed by Justice
V.S.Sirpurkar. Anna University Teachers’ Association (AUTA) welcomed the
appointment, though some political leaders opposed his appointment as the new
V-C on the ground that he is hailing from outside the state. M. K. SURAPPA, Vice Chancellor, Chennai Anna
University, Age: 69, after his M.S. and Ph.D degrees in Engineering, had
illustrious careers in Universities abroad and India, he served as Founder
Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar for a period of 6 years (2009
– 15), as Dean, Faculty of Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science
during the year 2016-17, before assuming the post of Vice Chancellor of Anna
University on 12th April 2018.
He is also Honorary Professor at the Indian Institute of Science.
Process developed
by Prof. Surappa at the Indian Institute of Science is often hailed as an
Indian Innovation by MMC producers across the world. He has carried out all his
research work entirely in India. Surappa has published 100 research papers in
International journals and presented nearly 150 papers in national and
international conferences and has authored a book. He has secured one US and 3
Indian patents.
Surappa
nurtured IIT Ropar as an Institution of Excellence in Research and Governance.
In the 2016 National Ranking of Institutions, IIT Ropar stands number 9 amongst
top 100 Engineering Institutions. It is very heartening to note that IIT Ropar
ranked number one in two parameters used in ranking exercise, namely (a)
Teaching, learning and Resources (TLR) and (b) Graduation Outcome (GO) amongst
16 IITs. This is testimony to the inspiring, dynamic and visionary leadership
of Prof. Surappa.
Earlier in
November 2020, Stanford University released its list of top scientists across
the world, of which, two per cent were from India.
Of the few
Indians who made it to the list was M K Surappa, the current
Vice-Chancellor of Anna University, Chennai. A career academic who spent his
time at eminent institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
and then the Indian Institute of Technology, was being probed for corruption,
misuse of office in appointments, etc. listed in a two-page-long list of
offences by appointing a Retired Judge from the Madras High Court to oversee
the enquiry by Edappadi Government.
In the midst
of Judicial Probe, a public Interest litigation was filed by one Manithanigai
Kumar in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court seeking to quash GO ordering an
inquiry against Anna University Vice-Chancellor MK Surappa and the court had
ordered the State Government to produce the original documents based on which
the government issued a GO.
Further observing that the identity of the complainants ought to be looked into, the judges directed the government to produce all documents relied upon by the authorities while passing the G.O. The matter was adjourned and it will take some time to know the outcome of the PIL.
Kumar, a
writer and social worker from Kanniyakumari district, stated that the
government passed the G.O., appointing a retired HC judge P Kalaiyarasan to
inquire into the corruption complaints received by the Chief Minister's Special
Cell, without conducting any preliminary inquiry or seeking an explanation from
Surappa. He alleged that the action was initiated as Surappa did not accommodate
the views of politicians in his administrative decisions. Moreover, the
government failed to verify the identity of the complainants, he pointed out
and prayed the court to quash the G.O.
IoE –
Institutue of Eminence – scheme was introduced by the Centre in 2017 and Anna
University was offered the IoE tag in August 2019 – but the State Government
was not eager to accept it citing that it will affect the existing 69%
reservation policy apart from losing its ‘affiliated’ status thereafter.
In order to
retain that status, the state government in September 2020, enacted a bill to
amend the Anna University Act, 1978. Two acts emerged as a result – the Anna
University (Amendment) Act, 2020 and Anna Technological and Research University
Act, 1978. It was also decided that the name of the university will be changed
as Anna Technology and Research University (ATRU).
The decision
has ruffled many feathers, with teachers and students associations protesting
against the bifurcation and name change.
“We get an
ill-feeling of our intellectual property rights being robbed. The word
‘research’ is redundant for a university’s name. Further, the proposed unitary
university now existing under the name of Anna University goes beyond
technology as it has excelled in science and humanities as well. Hence,
inserting the word ‘technological’ is uncalled for. Besides, it is a wise
convention to retain the name of a parent university and give a new name to the
offspring?” asked a representative of the Anna University Teachers Association.
Surappa had opposed the bifurcation of the university and its name change and
this also might have angered Edappadi Government.
Meanwhile,
the University Grants Commission (UGC) had asked the state to bear half of ₹1,000
crore, the financial aid that would be granted to the IoE university for five
years. The Centre will provide the other half of the amount. While the state
was still considering the clause, Surappa allegedly bypassed authorities and in
a letter to the Centre said that the university can raise ₹1,570 crore (₹314
crore a year) through internal means.
This
unilateral and autonomous stand of Surappa angered Edappadi Government to the
hilt and it was one of the major reasons for the present judicial probe against
Surrappa. Further the state government sought an explanation from the
vice-chancellor on the letter.
Earlier, the
vice-chancellor had refused to abide by the state government’s order to grant
‘all pass’ for college students including those having arrears in different
subjects without writing the exams, citing different orders from All India
Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The problem with this was many
students had over 20 arrears. Surappa did not accept the Higher Education
Department’s decision to promote those who had arrears. He said the Anna
University will not implement the order for such students.
He justified
his decision saying the AICTE had communicated that it would not accept
awarding of marks without conducting the examination, especially for those who
had arrears.
Some of the
revolutionary steps that Surappa took included cancelling discretionary quota
in post-graduate admission besides removing the discretionary powers of the
vice-chancellor as well.
Among other things, he had cut down needless expenses of the varsity, acted against a cartel involved in exam malpractices, fixed minimum marks in the entrance test for PhD, raised the qualification level for faculty, drafted in faculty from Indian Institute of Technology and other illustrious institutions, and increased research publications by the university.
The Vice
Chancellor of Tamil Nadu’s largest and most prestigious state-run engineering
university, Surappa admits that there are a number of problems that need to be
plugged.
The biggest
issue is that of corruption over decades, he says, which in turn has brought in
poor faculty, thereby churning out poorly educated students who are in turn
unemployable in industry.
“I want to
take the University back to the 1950s glorious era when (Lakshmanaswami)
Mudaliar was the VC,” he said.
Surappa wanted to crush corruption, but, Edappadi Government had booked Surappa on ‘Corruption Charges’!
Surappa’s
Judicial Probe can be called similar to the injustice inflicted on ISRO
Scientist Nambi Narayanan and hence this Surappa’s probe can be labeled aptly
as “Nambi Narayanan 2.0”
In this
episode, BJP’s Silence cannot be justified under the usual dictum of “Election
Alliance Dharma”. If BJP could not come
out openly in support of Surappa, it is to be considered as BJP’s Election
Alliance Adharma only!
If BJP is a
party of Different Perspective, it had to pull up Edappadi Government and urge
it to withdraw the G.O. and to wind up the probe against Surappa forthwith,
before the Madurai Court’s verdict which, to my prediction, will be in favour
of Surappa.
SATYAMEVA
JAYATHE
Supplements to the Editorial:
Two
Interviews – one by Veteran academician and former Annaunivarsity VC E
Balagurusamy to the Times of India and another one by M.K. Surappa
to EdexLive are reproduced hereunder so that the missing links and
answers for some valid issues could be understood by the Readers.
I am
quite confident that the readers would come to the conclusion that the move by
Edappadi Government and the stoic silence
maintained by BJP on the plea of ‘Alliance (A)Dharma’ are unpardonable. I am equally hopeful that Surappa had become
a victime like ‘Isro Nambi Narayanan”.
E-Touch
‘honour’ Edappadiyar with a Crown of Thorn, while Surappa with a bouquet for
his courage and conviction to stand tall to cleanse the Anna University from
corrupt practices to shine as ‘Institute of Eminence’. - THE EDITOR.
When did
corruption become a major issue in higher education?
Corruption
in higher education started long ago. But, the scale has increased in the
recent past. A former VC said he had spent Rs.50 crore to get the post at Anna
University. The moment an appointment is made with cash, the candidates try to
get the money back using their position and indulging in corrupt practices.
That is why corruption in higher education has infiltrated into all levels.
Where
does it all start?
It starts
with the VC search committee. The idea of a search panel is to choose a
competent and honest candidate. Sometimes the search committee members are
corrupt. They are supposed to send three names to the governor but each member
would have his or her candidate, backed by political power, money or sometimes
caste would play a role.
How does
it affect the quality of education?
If heads of
institutions are corrupt they will not be able to produce good citizens with
moral and ethical values. The value system loses its importance. Because of
this, competent people stay out of the VC race. It also affects the quality of
education. For example, in engineering education more than 200 colleges without
proper infrastructure are still able to admit students due to corruption
prevalent at all levels of technical education. When Surappa arrived he got
serious about the poor standards in engineering colleges and everybody was
shaken. Despite several allegations of corruption and raids no action was taken
against the former VCs. One sitting VC of Bharathiar University was caught
taking bribe. Why has the state not taken any further action in these cases? No
further action is being taken because the truth might come out. If the state
had acted strongly, corruption could have been eliminated. It is a sign of
political interference and patronage.
Does the
government have the power to pass students with arrears?
In view of
the pandemic, the state can give direction on conducting or postponing exams,
decide on the mode of exam and advise institutions on Covid-19 precautionary
measures. But, it does not have the power to interfere with academic matters
like change of curriculum, exam process or marks. Bodies such as the academic
council and board of studies have powers to decide on awarding pass marks and
changes in the curriculum. The government has misused its powers by cancelling
arrears exams. It is a case of political interference in academics.
What do
you think about the government’s decision to appoint an inquiry commission
against M K Surappa?
Without
ascertaining the truth, the government appointed an inquiry committee headed by
a retired high court judge. Surappa is renowned for his honesty and efficiency.
He is also a famous scientist who is ranked among the world’s top 2% of
scientists. Making corruption allegations against such an eminent person makes
no sense. In my opinion, there could be three reasons for the inquiry. He was
the only VC who opposed cancellation of arrears and went to great efforts for
the institute of eminence (IoE) status for Anna University. The reason for the
IoE row could be that politicians fear losing their influence. The third reason
might be his resistance to the government’s interference in university matters.
In a bold decision, he asked officials and ministers to return university
vehicles.
What
about the complaints of corruption in Anna university appointments?
A complaint
filed by Suresh from Trichy was mentioned in the government order. The same
person sent the complaint to the university as well. First, the phone number
given was wrong and the address was fake. We doubt whether such a person exists.
Suresh had alleged that Surappa had collected Rs.13 lakh to Rs.15 lakh for
appointing faculty members in the university and its constituent colleges. But
Surappa has not appointed anyone after taking over. That is a false allegation.
Another complaint said Surappa appointed his daughter. In reality, no
appointment order was issued. As an intellectual property rights expert, she
gave some lectures to Anna University professors. In case, if he appointed his
daughter I would have been the first person to oppose it as it is against the
rules.
Does the
state government have power to order an inquiry committee against a VC?
The state
government brought an amendment to the Anna University Act in 2011 which gives
it power to order an inquiry. In my opinion, the state government should have
taken the consent of the governor as he is the appointing authority. It sets a
wrong precedent.
Going
forward, what are the changes you suggest in the selection of VCs?
There should
not be a government nominee in the vice-chancellor selection committee. The
state tends to influence the search committee through that member. There can
only be syndicate or senate nominee, governor’s nominee and UGC’s nominee for
ensuring a fair selection process.
M.
K. SURAPPA’S INTERVIEW TO EdexLive:
Is an IoE
status necessary for Anna University?
Universities these days have to be research-intensive and focus on a higher
order of teaching. The curriculum must be modern and should be clubbed with
innovation and experience. These are required for a university to excel and
make an impact through research, innovations and start-up. For that, you need a
good ecosystem in universities including a physical, academic and living
environment that is conducive. We need to have a free exchange of students and
faculty. Students must get the opportunity to participate in international
conferences. However, a state university like ours does not have enough funding
to facilitate all this. An IOE status allows funds for these to make a bigger
impact. It is very crucial for us. This is a very unique opportunity for a
university like ours which has made impacts in the past and had diversified its
portfolio. We have plenty of talented students and I want to provide them with
the right opportunities.
In your opinion, what does Anna university lack right now?
The university doesn't lack anything, but it has a scope for improvement. We
have to improve significantly to reach world-class standards. We need modern
equipment, facilities, chemicals, lab space and interactions.
If the IoE status is this beneficial, why is it opposed by many?
I don't know. This (Tamil Nadu) government didn't accept the offer for reasons
I don't know. They cited that there will be a change in the reservation status.
But that was not going to go away. Despite all our efforts to convince the
people, they used it as a weapon against me.
The past few weeks have been rough. You have had a corruption probe, there
were threats and people are protesting against you. How is it affecting you?
I am clear in my conscience, duties and passion. However, these incidents do
affect me. This is not called for for a person of my standing. In the
pre-independence era, a lot of patriots were jailed by the British colonials.
Now, even 75 years after Independence, someone like me who stood by the truth
and tried to evade corruption has been crucified. This is shocking, considering
that it is happening in a democracy. It, in fact, pains me. If I am not being
truthful, everyone has a chance to persecute me. But I stand for unquestionable
truth. Society should understand that and help me take the country forward.
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