Colleges Under Anna University Have Same Professors: NGO Exposes Fraud In Affiliation

A Chennai-based anti-graft NGO Arappor Iyyakkam has revealed that multiple engineering colleges under Anna University in Tamil Nadu have acquired affiliation by resorting to fraudulent means, reports The News Minute.

The NGO accessed the petitions and documents uploaded by Anna University on their website by filing an RTI. The report revealed that multiple colleges presented the same individuals as full-time faculty during an inspection in 2023-23, allegedly with the knowledge of the University.

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353 teachers were presented as full-time faculty in more than one engineering college and among them, two professors of Engineering were presented as full-time faculty in 11 different Engineering colleges and three professors in 10 different colleges among others.

Out of 448 colleges under Anna University, 224 colleges have committed fraud.

The NGO has further alleged the involvement of Anna University in the fraud. As per the norms, a college will be given affiliation after an inspection committee constituted by the university verifies the faculty members working in each college. The committee in the process should verify the details of faculty members including their PAN and Aadhaar details, their experience, and PhD certificates.

After the completion of the inspection, a Standing Committee will scrutinize the applications. After the culmination of these processes, then affiliation will be considered by the vice-chancellor.

The inspecting and Standing Committee of Anna seems to have cooperated in committing this alleged fraud as the inspecting officers have verified the same person twice on the same day in two different colleges situated several kilometers away from each other.

The documents have revealed that at least 11 teachers held positions including that of professor and assistant professor were shown as present at two different colleges on the same date as full-time professors who don’t hold any position in any other college.

NGO Arappor Iyakkam’s Convenor Jayaram Venkatesh said that though they have requested to produce details of the inspecting teams, they were unable to get it from Anna University.

“Looking at the instances of breach by 224 colleges, it raises serious questions on the role of AICTE as well. AICTE randomly visits 5% of the colleges each year for verification of faculty members and infrastructure. However, it is clear that the AICTE has not found this massive malpractice,” the NGO said.

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The NGO emphasized the need for urgent investigation and demanded the Minister of Education K Ponmudy intervene as the alleged fraud indicates that either the colleges are understaffed or the quality of education is being compromised.

Jayaram demanded the faculty members involved in the fraud be debarred and the colleges have their affiliation canceled.