IP college in legal row over principal’s post

The appointment of a new candidate to the post, which has remained vacant since Aruna Sitesh's death in November 2007, has been stalled by an interim order issued by the High Court, reports Ritika Chopra.

Indraprastha College for Women has landed itself in a legal row over the appointment of its principal.

HT Image

The appointment of a new candidate to the post, which has remained vacant since Aruna Sitesh's death in November 2007, has been stalled by an interim order issued by the High Court in response to a writ petition filed by college faculty member Dr. Manasvini Madhubhashini Yogi in May, said teachers on conditions of anonymity.

Sources added Yogi, who had applied for the principal’s post in response to an advertisement in December last year, was irked by the “lack of transparency” in the selection procedure and moved court when the selection committee did not shortlist her for the interview with the apex selection committee. The apex body comprises the Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice Chancellors, among others.

“Four candidates from the college —Nalini Deka, Reader, Psychology Department, Meeta Bose, Reader, English Department, Vinita Sinha, Lecturer, English Department and Manasvini Yogi, Reader, Philosophy Department —with 16 outsiders had applied for the post. The selection committee shortlisted only three for interview with the apex committee, which finally selected an outsider named K.P. Sundari as the principal for IP College,” said a teacher.

Though Yogi confirmed that she had moved court regarding this issue, she refused to comment any further.

Narain Prasad, chairman of the college and member of the selection committee, said: “The decision to shortlist three candidates was taken unanimously by all the members of the selection committee and our aim was to narrow in on the best.”

The case will next be heard on July 23.