Professors accuse malpractice in Ph.D. entrance exam investigation

madurai: professors at madurai kamaraj university (mku) have raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the inquiry committee formed to investigate malpractice in the ph.d. entrance exams. they claim the exclusion of a syndicate member from the committee violates established university norms.the issue stems from complaints alleging that certain individuals in the ph.d. department solicited payments ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 from students to secure passing marks in the entrance exam conducted on september 22. acting on these complaints, which included evidence provided by students and faculty, the higher education department directed the formation of an inquiry committee.university registrar ramakrishnan (in-charge) constituted a five-member committee led by biotechnology dean ganesan. however, the panel notably lacks senior professors and includes only junior assistant professors. critics also argue that the committee should include professors from other universities to ensure impartiality.faculty members voiced their concerns, stating:"traditionally, any sub-committee constituted in the university includes syndicate members. despite the presence of several senior members, none were included in this panel.""a professor from another university should be involved to uphold neutrality, but this was overlooked.""the committee's formation lacked transparency, with no time limit set for submitting the report and no consultation with syndicate members."professors have called for restructuring the committee to include a syndicate member and maintain institutional integrity in the investigation.