Swaminathan,NIIT chief step down from IGNOU

Two prominent members of the search-cum-selection committee scouting for a new Vice-Chancellor for IGNOU have recused themselves after allegations of a conflict of interest.

Well known agriculture scientist and Rajya Sabha MP M S Swaminathan and NIIT chairman Rajendra Pawar have had to step down from the committee following complaints from IGNOU faculty and non-teaching staff. Both are already associated with IGNOU and this,it is alleged,could bring in bias in selection of a new V-C of the varsity.

While the committee is headed by eminent space scientist K Kasturirangan who is the Visitors nominee,the candidature of both Swaminathan and Pawar was proposed by the IGNOU Board of Management. The committee was constituted to search for a successor to V Rajashekharan Pillai,who completed his term as V-C IGNOU in October this year. As per norms,while the candidate nominated by the Visitor is the convener of the three-member search-cum-selection panel,two persons are nominated by the IGNOU Board of Management but these should not be employed in any way by IGNOU.

While this committee has already held two meetings,complaints to the union HRD Ministry revealed while Prof Swaminathan serves as the honorary Chair for Sustainable Development at IGNOU itself and also resides in the accommodation allotted to him by IGNOU in the Asiad Games Village,Pawar last year signed an MoU with IGNOU for skill building in the higher education sector. It is learnt that the HRD Ministry suggested that the two candidates step down as this can be construed as a case of conflict of interest.