Unsoed Rector Caught in Corruption Case, Observer Urges Evaluation of Education System
Education observer Indra Charismadji has highlighted the alleged corruption case involving the Rector of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed). He urged the government to evaluate the education system after corruption cases have once again occurred within state universities (PTN).
Indra said corruption cases in state universities are not the first to occur. He cited Universitas Lampung as one of the state universities that has previously been implicated in a corruption case.
“Corruption cases in state universities are not the first to occur, such as Universitas Lampung and several others that I cannot recall. This means what is needed is system improvement,” Indra said in a statement on Wednesday (26/8/2026).
According to Indra, the recurrence of corruption cases within state universities should serve as a momentum to improve the education system. He considers such reform urgent to restore education as a human right.
“But system reform to restore education as a human right is urgent,” he said.
However, Indra asked the public not to rush to conclusions regarding the case involving the Unsoed Rector. He said the legal process must proceed while upholding the presumption of innocence.
“Before going further, we need certainty first whether this is political or purely criminal. The presumption of innocence must be respected and placed as it should be. I do not want to be a judge in this situation. Hopefully the case is purely criminal, with no political elements,” he said.
It is known that the KPK detained 14 people in a sting operation (OTT) in the Purwokerto and Jakarta areas on Thursday (20/8). Twelve people were arrested in Purwokerto, while two others were detained in Jakarta.
“One of the parties detained is the Unsoed Rector (Akhmad Sodiq),” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo.
The two people arrested in Jakarta immediately underwent intensive examination at the KPK’s Merah Putih Building. Meanwhile, the 12 people detained in Purwokerto underwent initial examination at the Banyumas Police Station. After the initial examination, seven people were then taken to Jakarta for further questioning.
“So that up to now, the parties detained in the series of sting operation events and currently undergoing questioning at the KPK total nine people,” Budi said. In the sting operation, investigators also seized evidence in the form of cash. The KPK said the value of the money seized reached hundreds of millions of rupiah.
Budi said the sting operation was related to an alleged layering system in conditioning student admissions, including at the Faculty of Medicine. He said the practice allegedly involved receiving money amounting to hundreds of millions of rupiah so that prospective students could enter the Faculty of Medicine at Unsoed.
“Related to the alleged receipt by state administrators within Unsoed or Universitas Jenderal Soedirman in Purwokerto, it is allegedly related to student admissions, including at the Faculty of Medicine,” Budi said.
The alleged bribery in new student admissions shows that corrupt practices have penetrated the academic sphere, which should be a bastion of morality and public integrity.
MRPTNI expressed concern over the arrest of the Unsoed Rector by the KPK regarding alleged bribery in new student admissions and encouraged an evaluation of the independent admission pathway.
The Unsoed Rector sting operation case reveals the fragility of campus governance. ICW has recorded 60 corruption cases in higher education since 2006 with losses of Rp446 billion.
The KPK detained five suspects following the sting operation related to new student admissions at Unsoed Purwokerto for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) urged an evaluation of the new student admission system following the KPK sting operation against the Rector and two Vice Rectors of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed).