P M Bhargava, who was at loggerheads with National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda, has been dropped as Vice Chairman of the high-profile body which has been reconstituted.

Pitroda will continue to head the Commission, which will have P Balram of Indian Academy of Sciences and Sujatha Ramdorai, Associate Professor at the School of Mathematics at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research as new members.

They replace Bhargava and Andre Beteille. Beteille had earlier quit the Commission on the reservation issue.

"I have got a note from the Planning Commission on Friday stating that the Prime Minister has reconstituted the National Knowledge Commission," he told PTI from Hyderabad when contacted.

Bhargava, believed to have differences with Pitroda, said he had to pay for being honest and truthful.

The sparring between the top brass of the Commission over the issue of Commission's recommendation on higher education reached a flashpoint recently when the matter landed in the Prime Minister's Office.

Bhargava had alleged that he was not consulted while preparing the final recommendations and had submitted his set of recommendations to the prime minister in January.

"I don't think that the commission can do anything as it has been structured like that," Bhargava said.

The objections raised by Bhargava with regard to Pitroda's recommendations included giving permission to universities to use their land for funds generation, allowing the entry of foreign education providers and expansion of higher education in terms of creating more universities.