Taking tough action against Banaras Hindu University (BHU) vice-chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has asked him to go on leave. The ministry has started the process to shortlist Tripathi’s successor. Tripathi has been under fire for his alleged mishandling of protests by women students over an incident of alleged sexual harassment on campus and several cases of alleged institutional bias against women.
The BHU administration has invited applications for appointment of a new vice-chancellor and an advertisement in this regard was uploaded on the university’s website on Friday. The move is being seen as the government’s effort to expedite the search for the new head to avoid any further confrontation. “The new V-C should be a visionary with proven leadership qualities, administrative capabilities and research credentials. The applicant should not have crossed 67 years of age and should possess an outstanding academic record. The candidate should also have minimum 10 years of experience as a professor in a university,” the advertisement reads.
The Sunday Guardian has learnt that after receiving memorandums from BHU students, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is MP from Varanasi, directed the MHRD to look into the matter seriously. According to sources, after receiving directions from the PMO, the MHRD ordered a probe and asked BHU V-C Tripathi to go on leave. However, speaking to the media, Tripathi has denied any such action and said that the search for a new V-C and his leave is a routine matter. As per the BHU rules, Trpathi can continue in the post until a new V-C is appointed, but MHRD seems not willing to wait till his retirement due on 27 November this year.
A senior HRD official said: “The MHRD has already started the process to constitute a search-cum-selection committee that will screen applications and send a shortlist of three finalists for the top job to the government. The Prime Minister wants a person better equipped with quality and caliber to run a prestigious university like BHU.” The MHRD has already taken action against BHU’s chief proctor Professor O.N. Singh. A university source said that Singh was asked to step down from his post following which he resigned from his post. Singh was also under fire for allegedly passing lewd comments against girl students.
On Thursday, Professor Royona Singh was appointed as chief proctor.