An ugly row over appointments has broken out at Delhi University, prompting the central government to step in to overturn decisions taken by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, while on medical leave.
Trouble began on Wednesday when a university professor P C Jha, armed with an “appointment letter”, occupied the office of the varsity’s Registrar, seen as a move by Tyagi to pre-empt the due process of appointment set in motion by the varsity’s Executive Council.
As Jha stayed put in the Registrar’s office, the Executive Council, which is tasked by the Delhi University Act to make appointments, selected Vikas Gupta as the regular Registrar and Girish Ranjan as regular Finance Officer.
The appointments were notified by P C Joshi, the pro-vice-chancellor, who has been officiating at the Vice-Chancellor during Tyagi’s leave of absence since July.
On Thursday, Tyagi had removed Joshi and appointed Geeta Bhatt, an associate professor of the Bhaskaracharya College, in his place, escalating the ugly row at the varsity campus.
Late Thursday night, the Education Ministry stepped in upholding the appointments made by Joshi and issuing clear instructions that Tyagi can resume duties as Vice-Chancellor, only after submitting a proper medical fitness certificate issued by competent authority treating him.
“The orders issued by the Vice-Chancellor during his period of absence on medical ground without joining office properly and officially is not valid and should not be acted upon by the university functionary,” said a letter issued by Birendra Kumar Singh, Deputy Secretary, Education Ministry to varsity registrar Vikas Gupta.
“In future, if the vice-chancellor wants to join office, a proper medical fitness certificate issued by a competent authority who treated him should be obtained,” he said.
The ministry also made it clear that all the orders that are to be issued under the statutes of the university with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor should be issued with the approval of the pro-vice-chancellor Joshi.
Armed with the letter from the ministry, newly appointed Registrar Gupta also issued a statement saying that Joshi was the only Competent Authority to approve or issue orders as per the provisions of the law and any other orders were “null and void”.