IMS seniority row ends, Prof Gupta appointed head of DDE

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidhyalaya (DAVV), Indore, on Wednesday appointed Prof Rajiv Gupta, senior most faculty member at Institute of Management Studies (IMS), as director

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidhyalaya (DAVV), Indore, on Wednesday appointed Prof Rajiv Gupta, senior most faculty member at Institute of Management Studies (IMS), as director of Directorate of Distance Education, in a bid to resolve the seniority dispute over IMS director post.

The university courted controversy after it chose Prof Rajnish Jain for the post, overlooking the seniority of Prof Gupta and Prof Jayant Sonwalkar. (File photo)

The university courted controversy after it chose Prof Rajnish Jain for the post, overlooking the seniority of Prof Gupta and Prof Jayant Sonwalkar. Following reports, the department of higher education reportedly intervened in the matter unofficially. Higher education principal secretary Ashish Upadhyaya reportedly called and asked the university to withhold orders on Jain’s appointment.

Now, after Prof Gupta’s appointment as director of DDE, and with Prof Jayant Sonwalkar already heading School of Journalism and Mass Communication, all hurdles are now cleared for Prof Jain’s appointment as IMS director.

The university has decided to stick to its previous order issued on Monday, in which it finalised Prof Jain as the new IMS director under its rotation policy. The former director Prof PN Mishra had already completed his tenure.

When contacted, vice-chancellor Narendra Kumar Dhakad said, “The university sticks to its decision.”

“Code 23 empowers V-Cs to appoint any one among the professors from the department as director, with the help of incumbent dean, under the rotation policy. We are following the same,” Dhakad said.