Govt overturns DU’s VC’s order for removal of pro-VC, calls it invalid

Oct 23, 2020
New Delhi: The chaos at Delhi University has intensified following a Central government move. A late night order by the Department of Education of Union Education Ministry issued has reversed the order by Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Delhi University Yogesh Tyagi to remove the pro-VC P.C. Joshi, stating that the latter will “act as a vice-chancellor and all the orders to be issued under the statutes with the approval of Vice-Chancellor should be issued with the approval of Pro-Vice Chancellor P.C. Joshi”.

The ministry’s order also said that since Tyagi is “absent” on medical grounds, orders issued by him are not “officially valid and should not be acted upon by the university functionary”.

“In future, if the Vice Chancellor wants to join the office, proper medical fitness certificate issued by the competent authority,” the letter signed by deputy secretary Birendra Kumar Singh at the union education ministry stated.

The order also mandated that the VC has to produce a fitness certificate from the centre he is being treated in if he wishes to rejoin the varsity in future.

“In future, if the VC wants to join the office, a proper medical fitness certificate issued by the competent authority who treated him, must be obtained,” the order read.

Earlier on Thursday, Joshi was removed from his position, just a day after he cleared the appointment of a new registrar even as Tyagi had appointed another person for the job.

Geeta Bhatt, a member of right-wing teachers’ group National Teachers’ Democratic Front (NDTF) has replaced Joshi. She’s also a leading member of the Group of Intellectuals and Academics (GIA), which said Delhi riots were a conspiracy of “Jihadis” and “Urban Naxals”.

Soon after her appointment, Bhatt took out an order cancelling the appointment order by Joshi terming him “without any jurisdiction and lawful authority”.

The chaos at the university began when the joint-registrar’s office issued a notification naming PC Jha as the director of the university’s south campus and as interim registrar from October 21.

“He has been appointed as Director South Campus in place of Prof. Suman Kundua with immediate effect till further orders. He will also act as Registrar, University of Delhi, as an interim arrangement, with immediate effect till further orders,” the notification had said.IANS