Saturday, May 01, 2010
I did not receive recommendation for honorary doctorate

• Governor has issued notice to RGUHS for alleged irregularities
• Proposed amendment to KSU Act will permit professors, IAS officers as registrars

Bangalore: Governor H.R. Bhardwaj on Friday said the one-man commission inquiry constituted to probe the complaints against the Registrar and Registrar (Evaluation) of Bangalore University is free to probe other complaints, including the ones against Vice-Chancellor Prabhu Dev.

Talking to presspersons on the sidelines of the 45th convocation of Bangalore University, he said that the commission of inquiry, headed by a retired judge of Allahabad High Court I.P. Vashisht, is free to probe any matter as it deems fit and “there was no bias in ordering an inquiry”. “I have intentionally appointed a retired judge from outside Karnataka. Anyone can complain to the commission,” the Governor said.

Stating that he would take any allegations against any university in the State seriously, he said universities should not become “political akhadas (wrestling ring)”. The Governor said that he had already issued a notice to the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) based on media reports relating certain irregularities.
Referring to the conduct of the registrars, Mr. Bhardwaj said that he was unhappy that the registrars had approached the media like politicians to criticise the actions of the vice-chancellor.
The Governor said that he had drawn the attention of the Government to the Karnataka State Universities (KSU) Act that has no provision to appoint academicians as registrars of universities when the Government had appointed academicians to these posts some time ago.

The Cabinet, Mr. Bhardwaj pointed out, on Thursday decided to amend the Act. The proposed amendment will allow appointment of professors with minimum of 10 years experience, apart from IAS officers to the post of university registrars.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bhardwaj clarified that he did not receive any recommendation from the Bangalore University for awarding honorary doctorate.

“I had only informed the university authorities that there should not be any controversial persons among those recommended for honorary doctorate,” the Governor said.

“Please ask the Vice-Chancellor why there was no recommendation in this regard,” said Mr. Bhardwaj, while making it clear that he did not reject the list as reported in the media.