IIT prof’s ‘compulsory retirement’ for exposing JEE flaws quashed by former president

The HRD Ministry had last week issued orders to the IIT- Kharagpur director to comply with Mukherjee’s decision

New Delhi IIT-Kharagpur professor Rajeev Kumar, who was given compulsory retirement after he exposed flaws in the IIT entrance exam, can now heave a sigh of relief, courtesy former President Pranab Mukherjee.

Days before he demitted office last month, former president Pranab Mukherjee had ordered setting aside of the penalty imposed on Prof Rajeev Kumar for exposing flaws in the IIT entrance exam. (Hindustan Times)

Days before he demitted office last month, Mukherjee had ordered setting aside of the penalty imposed on Kumar.

The HRD Ministry had last week issued orders to the IIT- Kharagpur director to comply with Mukherjee’s decision.

“I am directed to refer to the appeal dated September 3, 2014, filed by professor Rajeev Kumar and to say that the President of India, in his capacity as the Visitor of IIT- Kharagpur,...has set aside the penalty of compulsory retirement imposed on him,” read the HRD Ministry order.

Kumar, when contacted, refused to comment on the issue.

IIT-Kharagpur had suspended Kumar for “misconduct” in May 2011 -- the same year the Supreme Court had lauded him as a “unsung hero” for his efforts to reform the IIT Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), which has since been re-christened as JEE Advanced.

The institute set up a probe panel that found him guilty. In 2014, the IIT decided to hand him compulsory retirement.

Kumar, who alleged that the panel was biased, moved the Delhi High Court and obtained a stay on the IIT’s decision. He also appealed to the President requesting that the decision be quashed.

The appeal against the retirement order has been pending in the Delhi High Court.