Goa University suspends prof over paper leak allegations, governor seeks report

Panaji: Goa governor and chancellor of Goa University P S Sreedharan Pillai on Monday sought a report “immediately” from the university over the allegations of question paper leak by a male faculty member from one of the science faculties to a female student.
“Raj Bhavan has taken a serious note of the recent issue of ‘question paper leakage’ at the Goa University and also different comments made by political parties, in this regard. The governor of Goa has sought a report from the Goa University, immediately,” the statement from Raj Bhavan said.
GU vice-chancellor Harilal Menon on Monday also said that the varsity has placed the accused assistant professor under suspension.
He said the university had not received any complaint in the matter. However, as a group of activists filed a police complaint with the Agasaim police station, the university on Monday established a fact-finding committee to see if there is any substance in the complaint.
The VC said the fact-finding committee has been provided 48 hours to submit its findings. The findings will be placed before the varsity’s executive council to decide the further course of action, Menon said.
He said that as the allegations are serious in nature, the faculty member has been placed under suspension till the time an inquiry is carried out.
Ramesh Pai, dean of the school of physical and applied sciences, said that the examination in question took place in Sep last year, but the allegations surfaced now.
The GU officials said that an incident did take place where the accused faculty member was reported to have entered the office of a colleague. He was later questioned over the incident and said that he had entered the cabin to retrieve some chemicals for his research.
The accused faculty member also tendered an apology at the time for his actions and the matter was closed accordingly, said Menon. He said no further complaint was received in this regard or about any paper leak later by the university.
The activists led by Kashinath Shetye on Sunday filed a complaint with Agasaim police alleging that a male faculty member had leaked the question paper to a female student, in a case of alleged favouritism. They also alleged that GU officials had looked the other way in the matter.
But GU officials said there were no question papers inside the cabin in which the faculty member had entered. They said no proof in this regard has been submitted to the GU by anyone.
Earlier in the day, NSUI members also submitted a complaint in the same matter to the Agasaim police.
Meanwhile, ABVP students protested outside GU on Monday morning and posed questions to the VC over the allegations of paper leak. The VC, however, told the students that no formal complaint in this regard was received by the varsity and therefore there was no question of instituting an inquiry.
One of the officials said the examination in question is one of the internal assessments tests.
Agasaim police said they are still investigating the matter.