Mysore/Mysuru: The University of Mysore (UoM) has suspended the Post-Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) of Guest Lecturer R. Sowmya, who has been arrested in connection with the question paper leak scam concerning the written exam for recruitment of Assistant Professors in Degree Colleges.

UoM Registrar Prof. R. Shivappa said that the arrested R. Sowmya was serving as a Guest Lecturer in the Geography Department of the University. As an FIR has been registered against her, the University authorities consulted legal experts on the action that can be taken. Now, following the direction of the Vice-Chancellor, the University has suspended Sowmya’s PDF, Prof. Shivappa said while also clarifying that the UoM has no role in the question paper leak as the examination was conducted under the total authority of Karnataka Examination Authority.

UoM Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar said that a letter will be written to Indian Council of Social Sciences Research, New Delhi, regarding the suspension of Post-Doctoral Fellowship of R. Sowmya.

Referring to the role of Prof. Nagaraj, a faculty of Karnatak University at Dharwad in the scam, the VC said  Prof. Nagaraj served as a faculty of the Geography Department of UoM from 1996 to 2021. Last year, he was appointed as the Registrar (Evaluation) of Karnatak University. When Prof. Nagaraj was with UoM, R. Sowmya did her Doctoral degree in Geography under his guidance and now she was doing her Post-Doctoral Fellow, the VC pointed out.