IN COLLUSION: MADURAI KAMARAJ UNIVERSITY AND DAVAMANI

Universities are supposed to supervise

colleges and maintain academic integrity and

quality. Even they have powers to withdraw 

affiliation of erring institutions and ask them

to mend. What Madurai Kamaraj University

is of late doing is the exact opposite – 

promotion of corrupt practices and blatant

dilution of standards. Take the nature of

the support it has been illegally extending

to Davamani from time to time approving 

his qualification.

1.    The Governing Council of American College not only advertised but also passed a resolution to appoint a Principal with qualifications prescribed by UGC. But His Holiness The Most Reverend Bishop Moderator Kadaksham saw the infirmities of Davamani’s PhD and thought, for the [intellectual] minority, it is necessary to downscale the qualification to Postgraduation(GC Resolution No.1/10/2011).

2.    When this was taken before the High Court (W.P.(MD)No.3530 of 2012& W.A.(MD) No.334 of 2012), the court directed Madurai Kamaraj University to consider the qualification approval of Davamani ‘in accordance with law and on merit’ (26.04.2012). This, even a child would know, meant that the approval must be considered in terms of UGC Norms 2010 which came into force on 30.06.2010 (2 years prior to the judgment).

3.    As Davamani was not qualified as per UGC Norms 2010,  Madurai Kamaraj Universiyty deliberately and with the sole aim to help him out of the way, invoked UGC Norms 2000 which was no more in force and gave him approval (02. 06. 20120). This is not only a laughable matter but also an illegality of first order which a VAO (petty village official) will not contemplate.

4.    The matter went to the court again( W.P(MD)No.2556 & 9361 of 2012 and W.A(MD)No.966 & 989 of 2012). The court not only did rule that UGC Norms 2010 must be followed but also Madurai Kamaraj University must consult the University Gants Commission on the applicability of the words ‘concerned/allied/relevant disciplines in the institution’ as given in the UGC norms before giving approvqal(30.01.2013).

5.    Now MKU was faced with fresh challenges. By now, Alagappa University had withdrawn Davamani’s PhD Eduction- Interdisciplinary (Education & Mathematics) alleging fraud. Davamani was also using two other versions of his PhD.( PhD Education and PhD Education(Interdisciplinary)). It is quite natural that such a blunderbuss of Davamani cannot be taken to Delhi to fire shots in UGC. MKU’s loyalty and unbridled devotion to Davamani made it not even to ask for a reference/clarification to Alagappa University on the alleged fraud.

6.    MKU devised two strategies to help its patron saint Davamani. First it avoided consultation with UGC as contemplated in the judgment. Second it awarded ‘yet another degree to Davamani in addition to the three already awardedby Alagappa University – ‘PhD Education with Mathematics Specialisation.’ What a coup! To window dress the case further, MKU awarded Davamani an API score of 427 points (against the minimum required 400 points under UGC 2010 regulation) without any basis.

7.    On 25.02.2013, hurriedly the Syndicate of MKU gave Davamani, qualification approval.

8.    Watching this cruel fun, I relentlessly asked MKU for vital information and documents relating to the approval. Only I received jokes after jokes from MKU. A brief summary:

a)    Did you consult the UGC as per the court order?

 MKU: We spoke over phone.( Later they said cell phone)

b)    Whom did you speak to?

MKU: Ooh… No answer.

c)     Do you keep the transcript of the conversation on the file?

 MKU: Ooh… No answer.

d)    How did you arrive at an API score of 427 for Davamani? Supply me with the supportive documents like research papers, evidence for projects done, PhD guided etc.

MKU: All these matters are secret. They are intellectual property of Davamani. (What a joke indeed! I know he is very rich!).

     My repeated queries and appeals in fact, frightened MKU. Then they started committing blunders. Six months after giving approval to Davamani (making secret phone consultations with UGC) on 04.09.2013, Dean CDC of MKU, wrote a bizarre letter to Vice Chairman, UGC, asking him whether Davamani is eligible for the post of Principal’s post.(something like a priest consulting jathagam six months after he himself got a couple secretly married). This was equally bizarrely answered, now, by an Under Secretary of UGC simply saying,  “You follow UGC 2010” (posted below).Despite UGC being a party to the case and after receiving several complaints on non-compliance of the court order by MKU on consultation, it turned a blind eye. These two letters would stand testimony for not only the kind of Inglis used these days but also the sterling character demonstrated by MKU and UGC, two watchdog institutions upholding academic standards in the country.

To make things worse, papers filed before Madras High Court and before the Registrar of Madurai Kamaraj University allege that Davamani has an API score of only 50 (posted below). Now, MKU has started telling that clarification on API score must be given only by Davamani. But Davamani has refused to comply for an RTI request. If he makes the basis of calculating API score public, I will not allege fraud and collusion.

The way things have unraveled and the way MKU, UGC and Davamani are running away from RTI requests, make me think that there is a bigger scam than what finally emrged  in Alagappa University. Why MKU should stoop so low? demonstrating potential for excellence?

T. Chinnaraj Joseph

                            

                             

      

If the entries in Davamani's columns above are wrong, can he now at least correct them?                                                                                                         Chinnaraj