Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has suspended Professor Rajeev Sijariya after his recent arrest in a bribery case related to the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

Details of the Bribery Case

The FIR states that the CBI arrested Sijariya and nine others in the NAAC bribery case. It claims the NAAC inspection team asked for ₹1.8 crore from the Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF) in Andhra Pradesh for a favorable accreditation report. After negotiations, the team agreed to accept ₹10 lakh for the chairman, ₹3 lakh for each member, and additional perks, like a laptop and travel expenses for a member's wife. Sijariya is accused of facilitating the deal. He initially demanded ₹1.3 crore for himself but later settled for ₹28 lakh.

Previous Controversies

Sijariya has faced multiple controversies. For instance, in 2023, JNU ended his tenure as Dean of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship (ABVSME) early. Faculty members accused him of “undemocratic decision-making” and inciting students against faculty.

Suspension Following Investigation

As a result of the committee's recommendation, JNU decided to suspend Sijariya. The suspension order, issued by JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Pandit, stated that Sijariya “has prima facie been found to be involved in the corruption case related to bribery for securing a favorable A++ NAAC accreditation rating to KLEF.” Consequently, the suspension will remain in place until the CBI investigation and departmental inquiry are completed.

Sijariya's Background

Sijariya joined JNU in 2020. He holds a PhD in Management, specializing in Consumer Behaviour, an MBA in Marketing and HR, and an MSc in Physics (Electronics). Furthermore, with over 25 years of professional experience, he has spent 21 years in academia and leadership roles.