Kuvempu University writes to Secretary of Higher Education for action on former Registrar (Evaluation)

the officer did not submit no-due certificates later, after furnishing necessary documents showing the expenses.

Kuvempu University has written to the State government for action against its former Registrar (Evaluation), S.M. Gopinath, over alleged irregularities in organising the 34th annual convocation held in January 2025.

Prof. Gopinath of Biotechnology at Davangere University, was posted as Registrar (Evaluation) at the Kuvempu University on August 22, 2023 and held the post until September 11, 2025. The convocation was held during his tenure.

According to the university, Prof. Gopinath drew an advance ₹40 lakh as the Abstract Contingency Bill, a provision to obtain funds quickly for operational purposes. However, the officer did not submit no-due certificates later, after furnishing necessary documents showing the expenses.

The organisation of the event was handed over to an event management company without calling for an e-tender. The service provider was chosen without comparing its rates with prevailing market rates. He has also not submitted the no-due certificates so far, which the university says amounts to dereliction of duty.

At its meeting on June 10 this year, the university syndicate resolved to probe the expenditure incurred on the convocation. Based on a report from the current Registrar (Evaluation), the university’s Finance Department carried out a preliminary audit. The Finance Officer found irregularities in the expenses and reported them to the Registrar for further action.

The Finance Officer noted that the 32nd and 33rd convocations together cost about ₹33 lakh, whereas the expenditure on the 34th convocation exceeded ₹51.81 lakh. Some items, the officer observed, were unnecessary, while the amounts spent on others were exorbitant.

R. Thimmarayappa, the current Registrar (Evaluation), said the 35th convocation was held during his tenure at a cost of about ₹20 lakh, and that he had already submitted the no-due certificates.

Acting on the report, N. Hemanth, then the Registrar wrote to the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education on September 10, informing the government about the irregularities.

Vice-Chancellor Sharath Ananthamurthy told The Hindu over the phone that the preliminary report showed some of the bills were not bona fide. “Based on the report, the university has written to the State government. We will proceed as per the government’s instructions,” he said.