Two senior professors of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) have written to President Pranab Mukherjee urging him to intervene in the inquiry against incumbent Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Aslam.
Prof. Aslam was asked to go on leave in November and a committee of inquiry led by Central University of Gujarat VC C. Syed Bari was instituted by the Human Resources Development Ministry to review the functioning of IGNOU. The inquiry instituted on November 18 last year has been given several extensions — the latest being until January 29.
The varsity has come under the scanner for its rapid expansion under former VC VN Rajasekharan Pillai, who faces a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Subsequently, when courses were stopped and colleges de-recognised during Aslam’s tenure, several students were left in the lurch.
The letter signed by Physics Prof. Vijayshri and Hindi Prof. JM Parakh, urges Mr. Mukherjee -- who holds the post of Visitor to varsity — to withdraw the inquiry claiming that there is “an apprehension that the Inquiry is not likely to be fair and that the conclusions are foregone.”
The signatories have cited a recent report of the Rashtrapati Bhawan going slow on charges against Delhi University VC Dinesh Singh. “We understand that you have proactively intervened in a similar inquiry that was being proposed against the VC of the University of Delhi… We appeal to you, Sir, to intervene in the matter too.”
They have also alleged that the objectivity of the Bari Inquriy is compromised as the nodal officer Prof. Kapil Kumar had differences with Prof. Aslam when the former headed the School of Tourism and Hospitality Services Sectoral Management. The signatories further alleged, “An atmosphere of fear and intimidation is being created among the academic fraternity of IGNOU to dissuade them from registering their protest.”