Karnataka govt orders investigation on Kuvempu University Chancellor, two others
Shivamogga: In a significant development, the State Government has taken action against the Vice-Chancellor of Kuvempu University, along with the Registrar (Examination) and the Director of The Department of Distance Education. An inquiry committee has been established to investigate allegations of corruption and misconduct at the university.
The probe stems from an incident in 2019 when the university declared results for first and second-year undergraduate, as well as first-year post-graduate students of distance education, without conducting the examinations.
This action directly contravened the resolutions passed by the Syndicate and The Vidya Vishak Parishad at Kuvempu University. Santosh Belekere, a member of the Syndicate, along with RTI activists Gajanan das K G and S M Mahadevappa, lodged a complaint with the state government and the governor, prompting a preliminary investigation.
Led by the Executive Director of the State Higher Education Council, the preliminary inquiry confirmed the violation of rules and instructed the university to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor (Evaluation), and the Director of the Directorate of Distance Education. Consequently, the secretary to the governor has formed an inquiry committee, chaired by a retired judge, to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report.
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The committee, chaired by retired Shivamogga judge Ravindranath H B, comprises the executive director of the Karnataka State Council of Higher Education and the registrar (administration) of Bangalore Urban University. It has been given a timeframe of 20 days to complete the inquiry and submit the report to the government.
The primary objective of the inquiry committee is to conduct a preliminary investigation into the validity of the complaints against the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar (Examination), and Director of the Directorate of Distance Education. The committee's expenses, including allowances, travel expenses, and day allowances, will be covered by Kuvempu University. Furthermore, the committee has been directed to provide accommodation and transport facilities, which will be arranged by the university itself, the order read.
Former Kuvempu University syndicate member commends state government for investigation decision
Former Kuvempu University syndicate member and complainant Belekere Santhosh has welcomed the state government's decision to set up a committee to probe the corruption in Kuvempu University.
"In 2019, the results were declared without conducting exams for first and second year undergraduate and first year post-graduate students of distance education, contrary to the resolution of the syndicate and the Vidya Vishak Parishad in the university. A complaint was lodged with the state government and the governor against this,” he said.
With the tenure of the registrar only two months away. Santhosh has urged the state government to take appropriate action against them at the earliest.
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Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
