New Delhi: A month after ThePrint published a detailed report on the state of the Greater Noida-based Institute of Archaeology, the Ministry of Culture has appointed an administrator to oversee its functioning.
This is the first time in the seven-decade-history of the Institute of Archaeology that an administrator has been appointed. Until now, the institute was governed by a director who reported to the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
In an order dated 29 May, which ThePrint has accessed, former Director General of the National Archives of India, Arun Singhal, has been appointed administrator for a period of two years on a contract basis.
“The appointee shall exercise full administrative and financial powers in repsect of the day to day functioning of the Institute of Archaeology equivalent to those vested in the Head of Department/Head of Office,” reads the culture ministry order. ThePrint has a copy of the order.
Last year, Singhal retired as the Director General of the National Archives of India. At NAI, he pushed for the digitisation of 30 crore archival pages.
The appointment of an administrator marks an unprecedented shift in the governance of the Institute of Archaeology, signalling the Centre’s attempt to revive and restructure a premier institution that has struggled with chronic vacancies and questions over its utilisation despite a Rs 289-crore investment. By placing the institute directly under an administrator reporting to the culture secretary, the ministry appears to be seeking tighter oversight of its academic, financial and institutional functioning.
In April, ThePrint first reported that the grand campus, built at a cost of Rs 289 crore, had just 15 students and no faculty.
Also read: ASI’s ghost campus in Noida—grand new Rs 289-cr facility, 15 students, no faculty
Two weeks after the report, the culture ministry responded with clarifications on the role and functioning of the 25-acre campus.
Now, the ministry came has proposed an overhaul of the functioning of the institute, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.
In the recent order, the ministry has specified the powers of the administrator.
“The appointee shall function as Administrator, Institute of Archaeology,” reads the order, adding that the appointee shall report to the secretary of the ministry.
According to the order, Singhal, a retired 1987-batch IAS officer, has been appointed on a contractual basis for two years. However, his engagement can be extended as required.
“The appointee shall guide and oversee the academic, administrative, financial, research, training and institutional development activities of the Institute of Archaeology,” reads the order.
(Edited by Prashant Dixit)