The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has starting tracing malpractices of Sikkim Manipal University (SMU) and Punjab Technical University (PTU) in getting favours from former Vice Chancellor of IGNOU V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai. The CBI has charged that both the universities have benefited Rs. 1600 crore in five years by conducting distance education programmes through violating the guidelines.
The CBI has also raided the premises of Rajasekharan Pillai and found disproportionate assets in the form o fhuge investments. The CBI has been trying to trace the involvement of money in exchange of favors to Sikkim Manipal University and Punjab Technical University. The CBI has already question Pillai and top officials of both the Universities.
The CBI has found that the former VC of IGNOU, Pillai has ignored the advice of the joint committee of the AITE, IGNOU and UGC in grating permissions to the distance programmes offered by both the above universities. The investigation agency also registered cases against Pillai, Sikkim Manipal University and Punjab Technical University.
These universities presence across the country and have been offering several main stream and professional programmes. They have established study centers extensively and have been offering distance programmes. The CBI has found that these institutions have violated the norms from 2007.