The arrest of N.S. Gajbhiye earlier this week has raised questions on the credibility of people picked as bosses in Bihar universities as he was one of the search panel members recommending the government on the appointments.

Gajbhiye, former vice-chancellor of Harisingh Gour University, was arrested on Monday by the CBI (Jabalpur)'s anti-corruption wing for alleged financial irregularities in the Madhya Pradesh varsity.

His arrest has opened up questions on vice-chancellors (VCs) and pro-vice-chancellors (pro-VCs) appointed in Patna and BN Mandal University, Madhepura, for which he was one of the search committee members. Among the appointees were Patna University boss Y.C. Simhadri. Now, people are raising questions whether the universities were handed to officials based on the reference of a "tainted" person.

Patna College principal N.K. Chaudhary said: "The arrest of Gajbhiye is a serious issue and it seems that tainted persons were asked to suggest name of persons for VC's post. I had raised the matter when Gajbhiye's name figured in the search committee but no one took me seriously."

The search committee of the Bihar universities was constituted on October 22, 2013 and the top officials were appointed in the last week of January 2014. Gajbhiye was the governor's nominee. The three-member committee for the Patna and Madhepura universities was headed by Sudhir Kumar Sopory, vice-chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Based on the recommendations made by the three members, Simhadri and R.K. Verma were appointed VC and pro-VC of Patna University, respectively.

The former Harisingh Gour University vice-chancellor's arrest has become the taking point among many university teachers.

A senior teacher at Patna Science College said: "Gajbhiye's arrest implies that people of less calibre were appointed VCs of the state universities. In the past few months, Simhadri has taken controversial decisions despite objection from a section of teachers."

Among Simhadri's decisions that have not gone down well are recruitment of private security guards for the campus at a time infrastructure was in the dumps. "The VC has failed to introduce the semester system in the undergraduate courses. Steps have also not been taken to improve infrastructure facilities for the vocational course students," another teacher said.