Suspended DU V-C Yogesh Tyagi gives up charge, but no sign of full-time vice-chancellor yet

Yogesh Tyagi, former Delhi University V-C, had been under suspension since October 2020 for alleged administrative lapses during his tenure.

Delhi University's Arts Faculty | Representational image | Photo: Commons

New Delhi: Suspended Delhi University vice-chancellor Yogesh Tyagi relinquished his duties Tuesday, the day his tenure was supposed to end, and the search for a new V-C is on in the university.

Tyagi had been under suspension since October last year because of ‘administrative lapses’ during his tenure and a probe against him had been launched.

According to DU Registrar Vikas Gupta, Dr P.C. Joshi will continue to head operations at the university as the acting V-C until a new appointment is made.

“Applications have been called in and the committee selected by the Ministry of Education will look into the selection of the next Vice-Chancellor,” Gupta told ThePrint.

Joshi has also put in his name for consideration for the post, DU sources confirmed to ThePrint.

To appoint a new V-C, a three-member committee has to be formed and it should comprise two members suggested by the Delhi University Executive Committee and one by the Ministry of Education.

Rajesh Kumar Jha, a member of the DU Executive Council, said the council had forwarded two names for the committee to the ministry in December 2020 but the latter is yet to act on it.

“The names of Professor Raj Kumar, V-C of Panjab University and Yogesh Narayan, chancellor of HNB Garhwal University, were sent as the final two names from DU. We are yet to hear back from the ministry regarding their selection,” Jha told ThePrint.

He noted that the delay in forming a selection committee raises questions on the “intent of the ministry”.

“It was a publicly known fact that the V-C is due to retire in March. We sent the names of our representatives in 2020 itself. The delay in the formation of the committee raises questions over the intent of the ministry,” said Jha.

Balram Pani, Dean of Colleges, also noted, “We have carried out the formalities from our end. It is now on the Ministry of Education as to when they decide to take up the matter.”

Probe report on former V-C Tyagi submitted to ministry

Meanwhile, a report on Tyagi’s alleged administrative lapses was submitted to the education ministry Tuesday.

“The probe report was submitted to the Ministry on 9 March. Since the charges are not of financial but administrative nature, the penalty is expected to be minor in nature,” Pani told ThePrint.

The report was prepared by an inquiry committee that was constituted by President Ram Nath Kovind, who is also the Visitor of Delhi University, in October last year. The committee held its final meeting regarding the probe and its final outcome Monday.

Tyagi was suspended on 28 October 2020 by the education ministry for allegedly deliberately keeping several posts in the university vacant.

In a letter, Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Joint Secretary, Education, said various statutory posts such as pro-VC; director, South Campus; controller of examinations among others have been vacant for a long time in the university.

Despite various reminders from the government, the V-C failed to fill up the positions, the letter said.

(Edited by Rachel John)