New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has appointed again Yogesh Singh as the University of Delhi vice-chancellor, making him the first to serve consecutive terms in the institution’s history.
The move follows the amendment of DU’s statutes in 2023 to allow a VC’s reappointment.
“The President of India, in her capacity as the Visitor of the University of Delhi, has been pleased to re-appoint Prof Yogesh Singh as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Delhi for a second term of five years w.e.f 08.10.2026,” a letter dated July 2, addressed to the DU Registrar by the Union Education Ministry’s Department of Higher Education, stated.
Until September 2023, DU’s statutes, which govern its functioning, provided for the appointment of a vice-chancellor to a single five-year term. Although the university’s top decision-making body, the Executive Council, approved a proposal to amend this provision in 2014, it received the President’s approval, in his capacity as Visitor, only in 2023, thereby making a vice-chancellor eligible for reappointment.
Singh was appointed as the 23rd VC of DU in 2021, with his term ending on October 7. Prior to his appointment at DU, he served as VC of Delhi Technological University (2016–2021).
He was the director of Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (2014–2016) and VC of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat (2011–2014). Singh also held several positions at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, including dean of the University School of Information Technology (2001–2006), Controller of Examinations (2006–2011), and director of Students’ Welfare.
{{/usCountry}}He was the director of Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (2014–2016) and VC of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat (2011–2014). Singh also held several positions at Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, including dean of the University School of Information Technology (2001–2006), Controller of Examinations (2006–2011), and director of Students’ Welfare.
{{/usCountry}}During his first tenure as DU VC, Singh steered several key initiatives, including the implementation of provisions of the National Education Policy 2020 such as the rollout of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) and the introduction of undergraduate admissions through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), replacing the earlier Class 12 board marks-based admission system.
However, his ongoing tenure has seen several controversies in the university. In February, the DU administration had ordered a controversial month-long campus protest ban after a violent demonstration against the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026, in DU’s North Campus. Although the ban was later relaxed, it was replaced with strict permission rules regarding organisation of protests.
In October 2025, the university faced another row where a teacher at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College was alleged slapped by Deepika Jha, the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) 2026-27 joint secretary.
Also in October, Singh’s lecture at Faculty of Law on “Hate Speech and Electoral Politics in India,” which included a video of author and activist Arundhati Roy and described it as “hate speech”, sparked controversy.
Singh did not respond to HT’s requests for comments till the time of edition going to print.