NAAC Bribery Case: JNU Professor Suspended After CBI Arrest; Tenure As Dean Cut Short In 2023 | Details

The Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday suspended Professor Rajeev Sijariya who was recently arrested by the CBI in a case of bribery for securing a favourable A++ NAAC accreditation rating to Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF) in Vaddeswaram, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

On February 1, the CBI arrested the chairman and six members of a National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) inspection committee, including Sijariya, in the corruption case.

About The Bribery Case

According to a report by the The Indian Express, the members of the NAAC inspection team demanded a bribe of rupees 1.8 crore from Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation to ensure a favourable inspection report.

However, after negotiations, the team allegedly agreed to accept rupees 10 lakh for the committee chairman, rupees 3 lakh for each member, and perks such as a laptop and travel expenses for one member’s wife. It is alleged that Sijariya brokered the deal and demanded rupees 1.3 crore for himself, although he settled for rupees 28 lakh.

Commenting on the controversial development, University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar, who also heads the NAAC governing council, said, “NAAC is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency in the accreditation process. Any allegations of wrongdoing are taken very seriously, and appropriate actions will be taken following set protocols and legal procedures. NAAC is continuously working to strengthen the processes to ensure such incidents are averted. NAAC remains dedicated to maintaining the quality and credibility of assessment and accreditation in India.”

What Did The University Say?

As per the official order issued by JNU VC Santishree Pandit, Prof. Sijariya, faculty at Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship, JNU, has prima facie been found to be involved in the corruption case.

Prof Sijariya is placed "under suspension with immediate effect from the services of the University pending the outcome of the Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry and departmental inquiry", said the JNU order.

Dean's Tenure Cut Short In 2023

As per the report by The Indian Express, back in 2023, Professor Sijariya was appointed as the Dean in 2023. However, his two-year tenure as the Dean of Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship (ABVSME) was cut short following several accusations of "undemocratic decision-making" and "instigating students against faculty members".

“He never involved his school’s faculty in major decisions, which created discontent. Ultimately, he had to step down”, Sijariya's colleague at JNU told The Indian Express.

Sijariya was also the former president of the ABVP’s unit in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut.