Bar colleges with fake faculty: NGO

Bar colleges with fake faculty: NGO 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 04.04.2025

Chennai : Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, has urged the Tamil Nadu govt to debar engineering colleges found to be involved in showing fake faculty members from taking part in upcoming engineering counselling. Anna University is to conduct reinspection for 2024-25 and physical inspection of all engineering colleges and courses for granting affiliation for the next academic year (2025-26) from thelast week of March. “Aadhaar-based face authentication will be used and the varsity will videograph the inspection to rule out duplication of faculty members. However, it should also check for salary statements, PF, and ESI details to ensure the faculty was employed in the college,” said Radhakrishnan M from the NGO. 

He also sought removal of sub-standard colleges from participating in counselling. The NGO found that 353 people worked in multiple engineering colleges du-ring the 2023-24 academic year. Following this, the varsity’sinternal probe found 2,000 faculty positions were shown with fake faculty members by engineering colleges for 2024-25. “The higher education department set up a fact-finding committee following the expose. The committee was given one week’s time. Despite the lapse of eight months, there has been no announcement on the progress of the inquiry or action taken against the colleges,” the NGO said in arepresentation to chief minister M K Stalin and higher education minister Govi Chezhiaan. The university found the involvement of around 1,000 faculty members and around 30 engineering colleges involved in the duplication of identity. “The university can take action against the colleges which have shown fake faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year. For other colleges, the action can be taken after the physical inspection,” Radhakrishnan said.