Education ministry asks DU to name representative for visitorial enquiry

New Delhi

New Delhi

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The Union Education ministry has asked Delhi University (DU) to appoint its representative who will be present and be heard at the visitorial inquiry that will be held into a litany of charges related to administrative mis-governance against Vice-Chancellor Y K Tyagi.

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

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

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

According to sub-section (3) of section 7 of the DU Act, 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.

Delhi University (DU) Vice Chancellor Yogesh Kymar Tyagi was last month placed under suspension and the process of initiating an enquiry into a range of charges of misgovernance and dereliction of duties began following the nod by President Ram Nath Kovind to such a proposal by the University.

According to an order issued by Ministry of Education Joint Secretary Chandra Shekhar Kumar, all orders issued with the approval of Prof Yogesh Kumar Tyagi during period of his absence on medical ground after Pro Vice Chancellor Prof P C Joshi assumed the charge of Vice Chancellor of University of Delhi on 17th July, 2020, were set aside and to be treated as null and void.