Arjun Singh

New Delhi, Oct. 12: Human resource development minister Arjun Singh today ordered an investigation into the ?academic, financial and administrative irregularities? at the Shimla-based Indian Institute of Advanced Studies.

The ministry has put former secretary in the Union government D. Bandopadhyaya in charge of the probe.

The institute found itself at the centre of a controversy during the tenure of former HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi after he appointed G.C. Pande from Allahabad University as its head. Pande belongs to Joshi?s school of thought on education.

Singh is under pressure from the Left parties to remove all Joshi appointees who are still occupying their posts.

In the order issued today, the HRD ministry said the inquiry will ?review the administrative and financial functioning of the institute in relation to its original aims and objectives?.

The probe will investigate the process of granting fellowships in the last three years, particularly the sudden increase in the number of fellowships during this period.