CBI registers case against ex-VC of IGNOU

The CBI on Friday registered a case against Rajshekharan Pillai, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for allegedly allowing two varsities to run distance learning courses in violation of norms.

The CBI on Friday registered a case against Rajshekharan Pillai, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for allegedly allowing two varsities to run distance learning courses in violation of norms.

HT Image

After registering the case, the CBI sleuths searched premises of Pillai in Trivandrum and Kottayam in Kerala.

“The case has been registered against Pillai and unknown officer bearers of two institutions — Sikkim Manipal University in Gangtok and Punjab Technical in Jalandhar. It was alleged that the accused abused his official position in granting approval to Jalandhar and Gangtok-based universities for running courses in distance education mode, "despite the deficiencies pointed out by an expert committee during 2009,” CBI spokesperson said.

According to sources, it has been alleged that the courses approved by Pillai were regular courses that cannot be allowed to be taught under the distance education mode.

He was also not a competent authority to grant approval for the courses.