VARANASI: The root cause of corruption, which has taken a shape of an epidemic in the country, is sharp deterioration in moral fibre of society, says DR Mehta, former deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India and former chairman of SEBI.

"It is unfortunate that moral education has been removed from the academic curriculum in India despite the fact that it is the responsibility of academic institutions to nurture and develop the sense of morality among students," said Mehta, the founder of famous Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayata Samiti of Jaipur (popularly known for Jaipur Foot). Delivering convocation address at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth (MGKV) on Wednesday, he said there should be courses in moral education at all levels.

A movement against corruption is emerging in the country, he said and expressed his hope that the developing awareness among people as well as new law would put an effective check on corruption. And it would reduce further with the help of moral education, he said and added there should be a strong Lokpal law, but at the same time it should not create a hurdle before the development.

Mehta further stated that five-year plans were made in the country for the development and welfare of people but the poor never became the focal point of these plans. The capital investment and economy took the centre stage of these five-year plans with a belief that the capital investment would bring development, he said. "There is no doubt that the country witnessed development, but the poor got negligible share in the development. It continued to widen the gap between the poor and rich that ultimately disturbed the social and regional balance. The burning example of this widening gap is the emergence of naxalism that engulfed over 150 districts out of 600 districts of the country. There is no immediate solution to this problem," he said.

He, however, appreciated the welfare schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and said the problem of Maoism could be solved to some extent if the scheme was implemented properly.

Presiding over the function Chancellor and Governor BL Joshi said the universities and academic institutions were the source knowledge for the national development. The universities should ensure an academic structure that could maintain a balance between physical and cultural development. "There is no need of crating battalions of information laden but insensitive educated persons," he said. He added these was a need of producing talents that could contribute to the development with the value of the Indian culture.

A total of 20,118 students were given degrees of PhD, postgraduation and graduation at the 33rd convocation of MGKV.