The Director General of Shipping (DGS) has de-recognised and permanently revoked the approval granted to Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Maritime Science and Engineering for non-compliance including issuing fake certificates to candidates.

KS Alagiri, S Soundrapandian, KSA Vatchala, KSa Santhi and A Anusaya, trustees of the Kamalam Sambandam Alagiri Educational and Charitable Trust, which runs the maritime training institute located at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district, have also been barred from DGS-related activities for five years, according to a January 6 order issued by the DGS. BusinessLine has reviewed a copy of the order signed by Amitabh Kumar, Director General of Shipping.

No fresh admissions

The institute will complete the training of the existing batch students of General-Purpose Rating and desist from fresh admissions, the order said.

After issuing show-cause notices to the institute on complaints received from candidates, and weighing the responses, the DGS concluded that the institute “was not conforming to the DGS’ orders/guidelines”.

These include issuing course certificates to candidates without imparting training, running courses without having the required number of faculty members and instructors, uploading batch details of candidates who did not attend courses, the principal and course in-charge signing certificates without verification of the candidate (no photograph and signature of the candidate), and signing certificates for candidates without objective evidence of attending the course.

Further, the institute did not submit video recordings of practical training, biometric attendance and other records as required by the DGS’ training circulars and guidelines, the order stated.

Students’ complaint

Eighty-five candidates who were issued certificates for a basic modular course by the institute submitted to the DGS that they had obtained them without attending classes.

“The Trust Chairman KS Alagiri was given an opportunity of hearing by the DGS. The justification given by the Chairman was not accepted by the undersigned (DGS). In view of the above, it is clear that the conduct of the institute has not been above board and that the management and trustees are involved in several questionable activities including arranging fake certificates to the candidates,” the order said.

“Now, therefore, the undersigned, in exercise of the powers of supervision of maritime training…hereby de-recognises the institute and also permanently withdraws all the approvals accorded to Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Maritime Science and Engineering”, the order added.

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