Appoint official for inquiry into misgovernance charges: Education min to DU

According to a person aware of the development, the ministry has written to DU officials referring to a specific provision in the Delhi University Act that mandates a representative of the university be held in case an enquiry is held.

The Union education ministry has asked Delhi University (DU) to appoint a representative for the visitorial inquiry to be held into a litany of charges related to administrative misgovernance against suspended vice-chancellor Yogesh K Tyagi.

It is learnt that the office of President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the Visitor to central universities, had raised the issue. (HT photo)

According to a person aware of the development, the ministry has written to DU officials referring to a specific provision in the Delhi University Act that mandates a representative of the university be held in case an enquiry is held.

It is learnt that the office of President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the Visitor to central universities, had raised the issue.

After the President’s office flagged the issue, the ministry is learnt to have informed the university that sub-section (3) of Section 7 of the DU Act, which pertains to the matter, needs to be followed in case of an enquiry. The ministry has also told the varsity that mandatory compliance of the provision is important to ensure that any challenge at a later stage can be defended.

According to the sub-section concerned, the Visitor shall in every case give notice to the University of his intention to cause an inspection or inquiry to be made, and the University shall be entitled to appoint a representative who shall have the right to be present and be heard at such inspection or inquiry.

Accordingly, the DU has been requested to appoint a representative who shall be present and have the right to be heard at the enquiry.

The ministry has also sought clarification regarding some other aspects related to the enquiry from the varsity, the person cited above said.

The ministry has pointed out that Section 45 of the DU Act provides that any dispute arising out of a contract between the University and any of its officers shall at the request of the officer, teacher or varsity itself be referred to a tribunal of arbitration.

The ministry has sought to know from the varsity its view on whether this provision has a bearing on the present case.

Delhi University (DU) Vice Chancellor Yogesh Kymar Tyagi was last month suspended and the process of initiating an enquiry into a range of charges of misgovernance and dereliction of duties began after a nod from President Kovind.

According to an order issued by Union ministry of education joint secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar, all orders issued with the approval of Yogesh Kumar Tyagi during the period of his absence on medical grounds, after pro-VC Joshi assumed charge as acting VC on July 17 this year, were set aside and to be treated as null and void.