Won’t recognise ‘illegally appointed’ Varghese as St Stephen’s principal: DU

St Stephen’s was required to abide by the rules set by the University Grants Commission in the matter of reappointment of the principal in “letter and spirit,” Rohan Rai, DU joint registrar (colleges), wrote in a letter on Friday to PC Singh, chairman of the governing body at the college.

Sticking to its stand on the “illegal” reappointment of John Varghese as principal of St Stephen’s College, Delhi University has directed the governing body of the college to follow norms set by the higher education regulator.

St Stephen’s College in Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

DU has also sent a copy of the letter to the secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

St Stephen’s was required to abide by the rules set by the University Grants Commission in the matter of reappointment of the principal in “letter and spirit,” Rohan Rai, joint registrar of colleges, wrote in a letter on Friday to PC Singh, chairman of the governing body at the college.

“Not following the said provisions amounts to an illegal and non-statutory continuation of Professor John Verghese as Principal St. Stephen’s College,” the joint registrar said in the letter. “I am directed to request you to follow the UGC Regulations in true spirit for the appointment of Principal in the College and in absence of the same, the University is constrained not to recognize Professor John Verghese as Principal of the College ever since his five-year term ended.”

Varghese and Singh did not respond to requests seeking comment on the matter.

Varghese took charge as principal in March 2016. The term of a principal is restricted for five years, and a person can be reappointed only after a due process of selection, according to rules. The process was not followed for Varghese’s reappointment in March 2021, the Delhi University has maintained.

On August 22, university authorities wrote to the chairman, supreme council and governing body at St. Stephen’s College regarding the matter. St. Stephen’s said the appointing authority had followed all reappointment rules.

“The college received a letter from the University of Delhi informing the chairman of the college that the extension of the tenure of the principal was illegal. The chairman of the college, through a letter, has clearly and categorically informed the university that it is wrong in its assumption and has put forward facts and operative judgements with respect to minority institutions to prove that the supreme council of the college, the appointing authority of the principal, has followed all applicable regulations in the appointment of John Varghese and he has all the right to continue as principal,” the college told the university in a letter dated September 2.

In July this year, Nandita Narain, a mathematics professor at St. Stephens College and a member of the college GB, also wrote to the chairman of the governing body seeking clarity on whether the college had followed the UGC and Delhi University-mandated procedures for the initial appointment and subsequent re-appointment of John Varghese as principal. The vice-chancellor and registrar of Delhi University were also apprised about the matter.

As per UGC Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education, 2018, adopted by the and incorporated under Ordinance 18 of the University, a college principal shall be appointed for five years, extendable for another five-year term on the basis of performance assessment by a panel appointed by the university. The panel should have a nominee of the vice-chancellor and a nominee of the UGC chief.