– Unauthorised private ventures by faculty utilizing university resources such as office space,staff,and research scholars.
– conflict of interest among senior faculty who allegedly own private companies without formal approval from the university.
– routing government-funded projects through privately-owned entities without appropriate oversight.
– ₹94.85 crore project co-funded by MeitY and State government flagged for irregularities.
– Transfer of ₹3.94 crore in project funds to I-GEIC-identified as an implementing agency despite corrections putting DUK itself as a responsible party.
The allegations against Digital University Kerala illuminate potential governance shortcomings and raise significant ethical questions about institutional resource management in India’s public higher education sector. At the center of this issue lies concerns over accountability protocols when collaborating wiht private entities on high-stakes tech initiatives like the graphene-Aurora programme-a symbolically vital venture given its scale and funding split between national and state governments.
If substantiated, conflicts between academic duties and external business benefits reflect a worrying trend that could undermine public trust in institutions meant to drive innovation through taxpayer money or donor contributions. Rampant mismanagement could discourage crucial investments into technology-focused academia nationwide if systemic checks aren’t tightened.
Dr. Thomas’s move toward transparency via audits may provide clarity around financial misappropriation claims but could also expose gaps forcing broader policy change across similar institutes managing large-scale collaborative projects between academia and industry sectors nationally.
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