Kochi, Jan 23 (IANS): Kerala's education sector, especially the self financing and aided segments, is the most corrupt sector, former Defence Minister A.K. Antony said here on Monday.

"The vigilance department should start their work by conducting probes in the way these sectors are being run. It has now turned out to be the most corrupt segments," said Antony while speaking at a public meeting.

Incidentally, Antony as the Chief Minister in 2001, opened up the professional education sector to the private sector by giving no objection certificates to all those who applied to start engineering, medical and other professional courses.

Admissions were supposed to be based on a 50:50 formula, that is merit seats and management seats should be shared.

But things went haywire when the managements, through court directives, diluted this leading to protracted legal battles between successive state governments and the managements, which continue till today.

Prior to 2001, there were less than a dozen engineering and half a dozen medical colleges. There are now more than 125 engineering and two dozen medical colleges in the state, where managements make a killing though huge fees.

Even though this is not the first time that Antony has lashed out at these private sector managements, this time he went to the extent of demanding that the vigilance department conduct a thorough probe to bring the erring managements before the law.