DUTA Press Release, 12.10.2015

Though the Visitor has expressly asked the VC to call a meeting of the Executive Council to propose a new name for the Search Committee for the new VC, it is shocking that an emergency EC meeting is being convened tomorrow  without putting this most important item on the egenda. Instead the agenda lists a large number of items that cannot be considered of an emergency nature.

In response to this grave impropriety, the Chancellor’s nominee, Prof. Javid Chowdhury, has expressed his objections to the VC in writing, This letter brings to light certain aspects of the murky story behind Prof. K. Kasturirangan’s nomination to the Search Committee that are even more shocking than what has come to light so far:

1. Prof. K. Kasturirangan’s name was proposed for the Search Committee that in fact recommended the appointment of Prof. Dinesh Singh as Vice-Chancellor in 2010.
2. Prof. Javid Chaudhary had objected to the name at that time on the grounds that Prof. Kasturirangan held a position in the Government as Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister and “his presence on the panel would constitute a conflict of interest”. However, his objections were “summarily brushed aside” by the team of the then VC, which included Prof. Dinesh Singh as Director, South Campus.
3. That subsequently in 2012 Prof. Kasturirangan was made Honorary Professor at the Cluster Innovation Centre, a pet project of Prof. Dinesh Singh, takes on a new meaning in the light of the above.
4. His nomination as a member of the current Search Committee in July 2015 on the recommendation of Prof. Dinesh Singh could therefore certainly not have been an “oversight” as claimed by Prof. Singh.
5. The final point in this murky story is that, as per sources, Prof. Dinesh Singh is himself an applicant for a second term as VC. Even if he is not selected, he clearly wants to ensure a pliable successor, who will cover up the evidence of his misdeeds during his five years of misgovernance.

The DUTA demands immediate stringent action against Prof. Dinesh Singh on the grounds mentioned above. It is extremely unfortunate that despite the efforts made by the DUTA to draw attention to the extreme misgovernance, abuse of power and corruption under the current Vice-Chancellor, no action has been taken against him. The recent revelations of his efforts to manipulate the Search Committee should end the refusal by the Visitor to act against him so far.