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Time of India
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
KIIT's unlawful acts led to suicides: UGC panel
NEW DELHI: The fact-finding committee constituted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) has held KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, responsible for the suicide of two students earlier this year, stating that "illegal and unlawful activity by the university" led to one of the deaths and that the administration's actions "amount to criminal liability. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " Along with these findings, the committee has issued a set of strong recommendations, based on which the commission is contemplating a freeze on the university's expansion and departmental action against erring officials, among others. The UGC committee, chaired by Professor Nageshwar Rao, submitted its report on May 20, 2025, after campus visits, stakeholder interactions, and detailed analysis. The report cited the university's failure to act lawfully on sexual harassment complaints, inadequate hostel facilities, excessive student intake, and use of brute force on students as key failings contributing to the incidents. The committee's observations and findings include serious lapses in infrastructure and governance. It found that hostel facilities were "substandard" with "three students put in a small room" and female international students accommodated without cultural considerations. It also noted that complaints of sexual harassment were ignored or illegally compromised, that the administration forcibly removed Nepalese students without support, and that security personnel used physical aggression against students. The university, it said, prioritised its "reputation of university over regulations, law of land and international relations of the country." Observing that members of the internal complaints committee (ICC) and senior administrative personnel of the university "are liable for criminal punishment as per law", the report stated, "... university's internal complaints committee (ICC) failed to take lawful action in reported sexual harassment cases. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now There was no transparency that protocols for investigation were followed. The girl had made complaints to the administration twice much before this tragic incident. In both the complaints, they decided to go for illegal compromise... The university has the power to punish the boy even when the first complaint was lodged. Instead of punishment, they favoured the boy by pushing forced illegal compromise with the girl. Later on, this has led to suicide. This suicide case could have been averted." On Feb 16, Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year BTech student from Nepal, was found dead in her hostel room. The report also called for departmental action against ICC members who acted in violation of rules. "Had KIIT University taken action to decide the reported harassment case as per law in the first case, the tragedy could have been avoided," the report stated. On May 2, another Nepalese undergraduate student was found dead in her hostel room at KIIT.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NAAC team's credibility in question, RU gets A+ grade
1 2 Jaipur: Rajasthan University announced Sunday that the university has received an A+ grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). A team from NAAC visited the university from June 3-5 for the third cycle of assessment. Rajasthan University has received an A+ rank after over two decades. Just last week, a question mark was raised over the visiting NAAC team's credibility following allegations of conflict of interest involving the team's chairperson. On June 13, TOI had reported that Prof Nageshwar Rao, who led the NAAC evaluation team during their June 3-5 visit, served on the advisory council of RA Podar Institute of Management, an RU-affiliated institution, from Jan 18, 2021, until Feb 14 this year. This appointment appears to violate NAAC's ethical guidelines, which mandate that team members should have no institutional associations within the previous three years. Before this, the evaluation process was done by NAAC in 2016. Officials said that with this grade given by NAAC, not only will Rajasthan University be recognised at the international level, but the university will be able provide better platforms to the students. "Due to the pending process of evaluation by NAAC for the last four years, the university was deprived of the grants through various schemes of the central govt, and the students were unable to benefits of new schemes," stated an official release issued by the university. Officials added that after this assessment, RU will be eligible for financial grants from the central govt. Vice-chancellor Prof Alpana Kateja dedicated this achievement to the continuous efforts by all the teachers and staff. She said that the NAAC team expressed concern over the status of vacant posts in the university and that she will soon place the challenges of the university before the state govt and discuss the issue. Officials said institutions with A+ NAAC grade are eligible for special funding for research, startup incubation, digital infrastructure and innovation schemes from UGC and other agencies. "The university implemented NEP 2020 on priority and the registration process of students in ABC ID has been started along with admission. Many value-added courses and skill enhancement courses have been implemented in the university in the interest of students. In future, there is a plan to start new employment-oriented courses with the aim of working in collaboration with the industries," said the Kateja.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
NAAC wades into hot water over conflict of interest during RU visit
Jaipur: A recent assessment visit by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to the University of Rajasthan (RU) has come under scrutiny following allegations of conflict of interest involving the team's chairperson. Documents reveal that Prof Nageshwar Rao, who led the NAAC evaluation team during their June 3-5 visit, served on the advisory council of RA Podar Institute of Management, an RU-affiliated institution, from Jan 18, 2021, until Feb 14 this year. This appointment appears to violate NAAC's ethical guidelines, which mandate that team members should have no institutional associations within the previous three years. The controversy has prompted senior academics to seek intervention from the union education minister, demanding a fresh evaluation of the university. "Such a case of conflict of interest is a blatant violation and disregard of protocol and a breach of public trust on NAAC," said a senior academician from Rajasthan, speaking anonymously. Adding to the concerns, the NAAC team's visit was already controversial due to irregularities observed during departmental presentations, where retired faculty members, rather than permanent staff, were found making presentations to the evaluation team. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 5 Wealth Management Firms in The United States SmartAsset Learn More Undo Despite multiple attempts by TOI to reach out, both Prof Nageshwar Rao and RU Vice-Chancellor Alpana Kateja remained unavailable for comments. The incident has raised serious questions about the integrity of the assessment process, particularly given NAAC's position as the country's sole national-level accreditation agency for higher education institutions. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UGC sets up a panel to probe KIIT suicides
NEW DELHI The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate two consecutive student suicides at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, officials aware of the development said. The development comes in the wake of the death of a Nepalese student in her hostel room on Thursday, marking the second such incident in a span of three months. The higher education regulator said the panel will examine institutional policies, student welfare compliance, and mental health support systems and submit its report within 10 days. The panel will also recommend steps to 'strengthen student safety mechanisms and institutional accountability,' the officials said. Chaired by Nageshwar Rao, former vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the committee includes Shashikala Wanjari (VC, NIEPA), HCS Rathore (former VC, Central University of South Bihar), and Sunita Siwach (UGC joint secretary) as coordinating officer. Odisha police said that they are exploring all angles of the incident before arriving at a conclusion. 'Though preliminary investigation suggests there might have been a love affair angle to the incident, we are yet to arrive at any conclusion. The student's parents along with her brother arrived in Bhubaneswar to take her body. We are yet to interrogate them. We have registered a case of unnatural death,' said the police officer. Meanwhile, Nepal's foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba said his government has initiated diplomatic steps for a proper investigation into the student's death. 'The incident of a Nepali student studying at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University in Odisha being found dead in her hostel room has left us deeply saddened. Discussions are ongoing with the Government of India and the Government of Odisha,' Deuba wrote on X. In a separate statement, Nepal's ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma, said that the embassy is closely coordinating with the external affairs ministry, Odisha government, the police and the university for a 'thorough investigation'.
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
UGC sets up fact-finding committee into student suicides at KIIT University
NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate two consecutive student suicides at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar on February 16 and May 1. The higher education regulator said the panel will examine institutional policies, student welfare compliance, and mental health support systems. It has been told to submit its report within 10 days, and recommend steps to 'strengthen student safety mechanisms and institutional accountability.' Nageshwar Rao, former vice chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), will head the committee that also includes Shashikala Wanjari (vice chancellor, NIEPA) and HCS Rathore (former VC, Central University of South Bihar). UGC joint secretary Sunita Siwach has been appointed as the coordinating officer. The committee was set up a day after a Nepali student was found dead in her hostel room at KIIT, the second such incident involving Nepali students at the institution within the last three months. The first-year BTech student's death on Thursday is under investigation by the Odisha Police. Her mobile phone and laptop have been sent for forensic analysis. The panel will assess academic pressures, grievance redressal mechanisms, mental health infrastructure, and on-ground implementation of safety protocols. A UGC order said the committee must 'conduct an on-site assessment to verify the actual implementation of student safety and well-being policies, beyond documented compliance.' It will also engage students, faculty, and staff to evaluate institutional culture and challenges. Key mandates include reviewing adherence to guidelines on student health, anti-harassment measures, and crisis intervention frameworks. Secretary Manish R. Joshi emphasised the committee's role in ensuring 'compliance with student welfare regulations,' according to the notice.
