It was Mrs. Krishnaswamy who decided that her husband should become a Vice Chancellor before he retired. If her neighbor’s wife could win the general elections and flaunt herself as a ruling party MLA who was given the prime place in all the local weddings and receptions, what stops her husband from becoming the Vice Chancellor? Mr. Krishnaswamy, who knew his own worth, had suggested that he could try to get the post of a Registrar or a Controller of Examinations in the University, but she put her foot down; Vice Chancellor or nothing. When a well-wisher pointed out that crores of rupees had to be spent to get the post, she said she would beg, borrow or sell all her jewels. She was going to be the wife of a Vice Chancellor, come what may, and she knew in the State protocol, vice chancellors were ranked all the way up leaving MLAs way down.
It was Mrs. Krishnaswamy who decided that her husband should become a Vice Chancellor before he retired. If her neighbor’s wife could win the general elections and flaunt herself as a ruling party MLA who was given the prime place in all the local weddings and receptions, what stops her husband from becoming the Vice Chancellor? Mr. Krishnaswamy, who knew his own worth, had suggested that he could try to get the post of a Registrar or a Controller of Examinations in the University, but she put her foot down; Vice Chancellor or nothing. When a well-wisher pointed out that crores of rupees had to be spent to get the post, she said she would beg, borrow or sell all her jewels. She was going to be the wife of a Vice Chancellor, come what may, and she knew in the State protocol, vice chancellors were ranked all the way up leaving MLAs way down.
She knew that her husband was not a big scholar in his subject microbiology and that he had sought the help of a paid professional to prepare his doctoral thesis. He was not also a popular teacher, but he was smart and clever in establishing good contacts with his colleagues and higher ups. He knew how to cajole the authorities of the University Grants Commission into granting projects to his college or move with the members of the AICTE on a friendly basis to get things done. He was especially charming with the female members of the higher education bodies that visited colleges for inspection, and they usually addressed him as Krish. They took the liberty of calling on him whenever they came down South.
A distant uncle of Mrs. Krishnaswamy knew the personal assistant of a State Minister and he introduced him to her. The PA was a seasoned politician and he knew how to stoke the fires of ambition in her and get personal benefit, apart from enriching his boss. Mrs. Krishnaswamy told him about her ambition of making her husband a VC, and the PA reiterated that he would help her. The amount which had to be paid to grease the palms of the higher ups was staggering and she knew it was going to be a big task to generate such big sums. But she was adamant and refused to listen to reason. She asked him if it was possible to use his influence and reduce the amount.
"You don’t understand, Madam" he said. "Actually the post goes to the highest bidder and the floor price is fixed at six crores. You stand a fair chance if you are prepared to settle at 10 crores."
"What is the first step?"
"The basic condition to become a VC is to have a doctor’s degree and ten years of service as a Professor. Even if he has less service, we can manipulate things. The important thing is to pay the whole amount in advance."
"Is your boss reliable? Will he do as you promise or just leave us in the lurch?"
"You can rely on him and me. We are honest, we never cheat."
"Can I talk to him?"
"No chance. He has so many clients like you in so many issues, and he can’t meet all of them."
"Of course you know the VC’s post in the University falls vacant in a couple of months," she said. "Are there any serious contenders in the field?"
"The incumbent himself is seeking a second term. There are also a couple of professors in the affiliated colleges with strong political connections. But I am with you. I will do my utmost to help you but you have to compensate me without the knowledge of the Minister."
"I will keep it in mind. Let me start mobilizing funds."
"I will advise you to meet the VC of Kattabommu University who is at present staying in Le Meridian. I will call him and inform him that you will be meeting him tomorrow at 10.00 am."
The next morning Mrs & Mr. Krishnaswamy met the VC in the hotel room and found him a great guy, friendly, frank and vivacious. He was happy to share his experience with them.
"Do you think the PA will hand over all the money to the Minister? He may swindle half of it", Krishnaswamy said.
"The PA is reliable and he will deliver what he promises," the VC said. "The Minister has his own sources to check the money transactions. Nobody can cheat him."
"Well" Krishnaswamy drawled." Is the post worth paying so much money?"
"Certainly. As far as I am concerned, I have recovered my investment with interest in the first two years. What I earn in the next two years is the profit which of course will be substantial."
"How do you go about it? Is it a difficult process? Is it possible to earn 10 crores of principal and 5 crores of profit in the four year period?"
"Don’t be naïve, Mr. Krishnaswamy. There are hundreds of sources and ways of making money for a Vice Chancellor. Granting and renewing affiliations bring in huge amounts. The affiliated colleges commit a lot of malpractices and frauds and to cover them up they will be ready to pay you huge amounts. For instance a city college, in the previous academic year, admitted 25 students more than the permitted number in Computer Science course and the unrecognised students threatened to go to court. The college appealed to me and I settled the matter amicably and saved them."
"They paid you a sizeable amount?" Mrs. Krishnaswamy said.
"More than I expected. There are so many other ways of generating extra money and you will learn as you go along."
"What else? Tell us in detail"
"Recruitments and confirmations, examinations and assessments, construction and equipment, distance education centers - a series of sources which give you money regularly and unobtrusively. You sit in the VC’s chair, people come to pay their respects and fill your purse to get things done. Of course there is nothing legal or right in what you do."
"Any possibility of slipping? Getting caught?"
"My advice is, be careful not to flaunt yourself. Be humble, be friendly with the teachers. Say hello to the guards and even to the lab boys. Build a reputation as a research scholar; you know how to buy research articles and publish them as your own in prestigious foreign journals. Invite powerful politicians to the campus to show that you are close to them. Invite the local police higher ups, ask beautiful girl students to garland them and flatter them to the skies. They like it; they will be helpful in a crisis. At least they will not file an FIR without informing you."
"You frighten me."
"Let me talk to Mrs.Krishnaswamy. Madam, you have to stand as a rock and support your husband in all these matters."
She smiled.
"What do I do?" Krishnaswamy asked. "to raise the standard of education in the University?"
"Education has a knack of raising its own standards, if the VCs like us stop meddling with it."
She knew that her husband was not a big scholar in his subject microbiology and that he had sought the help of a paid professional to prepare his doctoral thesis. He was not also a popular teacher, but he was smart and clever in establishing good contacts with his colleagues and higher ups. He knew how to cajole the authorities of the University Grants Commission into granting projects to his college or move with the members of the AICTE on a friendly basis to get things done. He was especially charming with the female members of the higher education bodies that visited colleges for inspection, and they usually addressed him as Krish. They took the liberty of calling on him whenever they came down South.
A distant uncle of Mrs. Krishnaswamy knew the personal assistant of a State Minister and he introduced him to her. The PA was a seasoned politician and he knew how to stoke the fires of ambition in her and get personal benefit, apart from enriching his boss. Mrs. Krishnaswamy told him about her ambition of making her husband a VC, and the PA reiterated that he would help her. The amount which had to be paid to grease the palms of the higher ups was staggering and she knew it was going to be a big task to generate such big sums. But she was adamant and refused to listen to reason. She asked him if it was possible to use his influence and reduce the amount.
"You don’t understand, Madam" he said. "Actually the post goes to the highest bidder and the floor price is fixed at six crores. You stand a fair chance if you are prepared to settle at 10 crores."
"What is the first step?"
"The basic condition to become a VC is to have a doctor’s degree and ten years of service as a Professor. Even if he has less service, we can manipulate things. The important thing is to pay the whole amount in advance."
"Is your boss reliable? Will he do as you promise or just leave us in the lurch?"
"You can rely on him and me. We are honest, we never cheat."
"Can I talk to him?"
"No chance. He has so many clients like you in so many issues, and he can’t meet all of them."
"Of course you know the VC’s post in the University falls vacant in a couple of months," she said. "Are there any serious contenders in the field?"
"The incumbent himself is seeking a second term. There are also a couple of professors in the affiliated colleges with strong political connections. But I am with you. I will do my utmost to help you but you have to compensate me without the knowledge of the Minister."
"I will keep it in mind. Let me start mobilizing funds."
"I will advise you to meet the VC of Kattabommu University who is at present staying in Le Meridian. I will call him and inform him that you will be meeting him tomorrow at 10.00 am."
The next morning Mrs & Mr. Krishnaswamy met the VC in the hotel room and found him a great guy, friendly, frank and vivacious. He was happy to share his experience with them.
"Do you think the PA will hand over all the money to the Minister? He may swindle half of it", Krishnaswamy said.
"The PA is reliable and he will deliver what he promises," the VC said. "The Minister has his own sources to check the money transactions. Nobody can cheat him."
"Well" Krishnaswamy drawled." Is the post worth paying so much money?"
"Certainly. As far as I am concerned, I have recovered my investment with interest in the first two years. What I earn in the next two years is the profit which of course will be substantial."
"How do you go about it? Is it a difficult process? Is it possible to earn 10 crores of principal and 5 crores of profit in the four year period?"
"Don’t be naïve, Mr. Krishnaswamy. There are hundreds of sources and ways of making money for a Vice Chancellor. Granting and renewing affiliations bring in huge amounts. The affiliated colleges commit a lot of malpractices and frauds and to cover them up they will be ready to pay you huge amounts. For instance a city college, in the previous academic year, admitted 25 students more than the permitted number in Computer Science course and the unrecognised students threatened to go to court. The college appealed to me and I settled the matter amicably and saved them."
"They paid you a sizeable amount?" Mrs. Krishnaswamy said.
"More than I expected. There are so many other ways of generating extra money and you will learn as you go along."
"What else? Tell us in detail"
"Recruitments and confirmations, examinations and assessments, construction and equipment, distance education centers - a series of sources which give you money regularly and unobtrusively. You sit in the VC’s chair, people come to pay their respects and fill your purse to get things done. Of course there is nothing legal or right in what you do."
"Any possibility of slipping? Getting caught?"
"My advice is, be careful not to flaunt yourself. Be humble, be friendly with the teachers. Say hello to the guards and even to the lab boys. Build a reputation as a research scholar; you know how to buy research articles and publish them as your own in prestigious foreign journals. Invite powerful politicians to the campus to show that you are close to them. Invite the local police higher ups, ask beautiful girl students to garland them and flatter them to the skies. They like it; they will be helpful in a crisis. At least they will not file an FIR without informing you."
"You frighten me."
"Let me talk to Mrs.Krishnaswamy. Madam, you have to stand as a rock and support your husband in all these matters."
She smiled.
"What do I do?" Krishnaswamy asked. "to raise the standard of education in the University?"
"Education has a knack of raising its own standards, if the VCs like us stop meddling with it."