Sanskrit professor accused of awarding PhD in 10 days is now registrar at the university - Hindustan Times
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Sanskrit professor accused of awarding PhD in 10 days is now registrar at the university

Hindustan Times | By, Jaipur
Jun 22, 2017 08:06 PM IST

The panel probing the PhD fiasco had recommended that the professor not be given any administrative charge in future.

A professor at the Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University (JRRSU) who came under scanner for awarding PhD degree to a student in just 10 days in 2014, has now been given charge as the registrar of the university.  It is an administrative post.

The Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University at Madau.(HT File Photo)
The Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University at Madau.(HT File Photo)

Prof Tarashankar Sharma was the director of the university’s research centre where the PhD student was enrolled. The student reportedly submitted her thesis on April 16, 2014 and was awarded the doctorate degree on April 26. 

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As per norms, a PhD thesis submitted by a student is sent to experts, who go through it before giving their report. Later, a viva voce is conducted following which the degree is awarded. Usually, the process, from submission to awarding of the degree, takes three to four months. 

After questions were raised at the speed at which the degree was awarded, the then vice-chancellor of the university constituted a two-member committee in December 2014 to enquire into the matter. The committee filed its report in January 2015. In the report, the committee stated that it had sought information from the director of research centre on nine points but the centre failed to furnish the information.

In addition, the committee also expressed distrust over Sharma’s administrative abilities and recommended that he should not be given any administrative charge in future. The report also highlighted a number of anomalies at the centre. 

In March 2015, BJP legislator from Baran, Pratap Singh, raised a question in the state assembly on the status of the enquiry and action taken, if any. The university responded saying that the action on the committee’s report was under process.

While the old committee’s recommendations were never implemented, a new four-member panel was again formed to enquire into the matter. 

Anil Bansal, an associate professor at University of Rajasthan and member of the new panel, told HT that the committee’s head wanted to absolve the accused in the case while the other three members, including him, did not agree to it. “We refused to sign the report,” said Bansal.

Shrikrishan Sharma, the committee’s head, refused to comment on the issue. 

Contacted, MLA Pratap Singh said that he was unsatisfied with the university’s response. It seems that the enquiry is being deliberately delayed to shield the accused, he said.

Commenting on the matter, university vice-chancellor Prof Vinod Kumar Sharma said that he’ll have to look at the records before making a statement. He, however, added that there was no favouritism of any sort at the university and everything was taking place as per the rules.

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