Four days after resigning from his position, the former vice-chancellor of Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences has strongly refuted allegations of administrative and examination-related irregularities, labeling them as completely baseless attempts to damage his reputation.
Former VC Fights Back Against Allegations
In an exclusive conversation with TOI on Saturday, PV Nanda Kumar Reddy asserted that the accusations against him were unfounded and specifically targeted at tarnishing his image. "These allegations are baseless and solely aimed at targeting me," he stated emphatically. "I did not allow any student to write an exam improperly. I am disturbed by the government's response towards malpractice as it did not even ask for my version."
The controversy gained momentum after the health department established a three-member fact-finding committee to investigate a complaint regarding a postgraduate medical student who was allegedly awarded extra marks incorrectly and declared passed. The investigative panel reportedly identified several discrepancies in the examination branch's operations.
Government Intervention and Social Media Backlash
As the issue rapidly spread across social media platforms, the university's failure to provide an official clarification further fueled public speculation. The situation escalated to the highest levels of state administration when Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy demanded a comprehensive report detailing how such violations could occur within a crucial academic institution.
Health department insiders revealed that as of late Saturday night, the government had not formally accepted Nanda Kumar's resignation. Sources indicated that "had he not resigned, the government would have eventually asked him to resign or suspend him," suggesting that preemptive action might have been inevitable.
Specific Cases Under Scrutiny
A senior official from the directorate of medical education confirmed that the allegations appeared to have substantial credibility. "Some failed students were allowed to reappear. Revaluation is not permitted by the National Medical Commission and only recounting is allowed," the official explained. "While reports mention five such cases, one has been confirmed."
The fact-finding committee also brought attention to a separate incident involving a female PG student who claimed her answer script had been tampered with. According to Nanda Kumar, this complaint was part of a broader inquiry that the government mishandled.
The former VC elaborated that the student's paper was opened during revaluation, leading to her identity being revealed through the decoding process. The student reportedly informed officials about her ongoing dispute with an assistant professor from a Narketpally medical college, who had previously been removed following harassment complaints. She alleged that this professor had been stalking her and potentially used his connections to sabotage her exam paper by influencing evaluators to mark several answers with an 'X'.
The situation remains fluid as the health department continues its investigation into the examination irregularities at Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, while the former vice-chancellor maintains his innocence against all allegations.
