Government's Science attache pick for Indian mission in Moscow raises eyebrows

NEW DELHI: In a move that has raised eyebrows, the government has appointed as scientific attache at the Indian mission in Moscow an assistant professor from the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad, who did commerce in class XII, majored in commerce at undergraduate and post-graduate levels and later did Masters in Science Cyber Law and Internal Security (MSCLIS), a programme since discontinued by the institute.

Meet 35-year-old Abhishek Vaish, who will join as the scientific attache to the Indian mission in Russia soon. A perusal of his academic credentials shows that he did his 12th in commerce which bars anyone from pursuing graduation in science or any technology-related course. But Vaish did not let that come in his way and did MSCLIS from 2004 to 2007. And in a record time of three-and-a-half years, he even had a PhD by March 2010, from IIIT, Allahabad. In June 2010 he became assistant professor and within three years was made associate professor in 2013, an appointment that got cancelled in March, 2014.

Vaish claims he has done nothing wrong and is fully qualified. Asked about how he could do a masters in science, he said, "It was an interdisciplinary programme I did from 2004-06. Moreover, I have been selected through an interview." He even said, "I am involved with Russians on cyber security. I have done many papers." He said the MSCLIS is a pure science course but evaded a query on how someone who did commerce all along can suddenly do PG in a technology course.

The Vaish family's special relationship with IIIT, Allahabad has been the subject of an inquiry panel headed by Justice A K Srivastava. The report said the family had been the beneficiary of many contracts at the IIIT. It even found serious irregularities in the appointment of his sister Anurika Vaish as a faculty member of the institute.