Kovind accepts Allahabad University VC's resignation

Hangloo submitted his resignation to the HRD Ministry, sources said.

President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted the resignation of Allahabad University vice chancellor Rattan Lal Hangloo.

The President, who is a visitor at the central university, also ordered for an enquiry into the series of allegations of financial, academic and administrative irregularities against Hangloo.

Hangloo, who resigned as vice chancellor of the Allahabad University earlier this year saying that he was “fed up” with the initiation of one after another enquiry against him on the basis of “baseless” allegations, has been under the scanner since 2016.

“The senior-most professor of the University shall perform the duties of the office of the vice chancellor of the University of Allahabad till the regular vice chancellor is appointed or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” the HRD ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Acting swift on the President's directive, the HRD ministry constituted a three-member committee to enquire into the allegations against Hangloo.

The enquiry committee will be headed by university grants commission (UGC) chairman DP Singh. Gujarat University Vice Chancellor Rama Shankar Dubey and Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Shriprakash Mani Tripathi have been appointed as the members in the panel.

Hangloo, who resigned as vice chancellor of the Allahabad University earlier this year saying that he was “fed up” with the initiation of one after another enquiry against him on the basis of “baseless” allegations, has been under the scanner since 2016.

The ministry, however, said that he resigned citing “personal grounds.”

Last week, Hangloo had been summoned by the National Commission for Women (NCW) over allegations of improper handling of the complaints of sexual harassment and lack of grievance redressal mechanism for female students in the university.

The commission has made an “adverse” observation about Hangloo over handling of the complaints of sexual harassment cases in the university during his term.

Hangloo was appointed as vice chancellor of the Allahabad University in 2015 when Union Minister Smriti Irani was at the helm of affairs at the HRD ministry.

.