Analysis: Why a Government-Run University in Adityanath's Bastion Gorakhpur Is Up in Arms

Students and faculty members are demanding the removal of vice-chancellor Rajesh Singh, accusing him of irregularities, arbitrary decisions and bad behaviour with teachers.

Gorakhpur: In Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s bastion Gorakhpur, Deen Dayal Upadhyay University is in the eye of yet another storm. Students and faculty members have launched a protest against the vice-chancellor, Dr Rajesh Singh, demanding his removal.

Professor Kamlesh Kumar Gupta of the Hindi department was recently suspended for holding a satyagraha (peaceful protest) against the VC and a committee has been formed to probe Gupta’s actions. Show-cause notices were also served to seven professors who extended support to Gupta, and they have been fined a day’s salary.

Following Gupta’s suspension, students and other faculty members held a protest until the university closed for the winter break. As the situation escalated, the chancellor/governor’s officer on special duty (OSD) reached Gorakhpur amid calls for the VC’s removal. The protestors have resolved to resume the agitation after the vacation if their demands are not met.

Singh has been a controversial figure ever since he took charge of DDU University 15 months ago. He is accused by staff members of acting arbitrarily and defying several of the university’s acts and statutes, owing to which opposition against him has intensified. He allegedly introduced more than five dozen courses without a proper curriculum, faculty and infrastructure and without securing approval from the state government. He is also accused of harassing staff members and engaging in money laundering.

Before being appointed at DDUU, Singh was the VC of a university in Purnia, Bihar, where too his tenure was marred by a number of controversies. His appointment as the Gorakhpur university VC raised eyebrows as an investigation against him is pending with the Lokayukta.

Singh made tall claims when he was appointed at Gorakhpur. He proposed to introduce professional courses at the university and raise its standards to the international level, but his methodology soon became a point of contention. Initially, there were hushed protests against the way he scolded staff members in meetings and issued notices randomly. But after his alleged ‘insensitive attitude’ over the death of two teachers of the university during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the dissent against him spilled on to the streets.

Conflict and controversy

During the past seven-eight months, the VC has been at loggerheads with the president of the University Teachers’ Association, Professor Vinod Singh, the office bearers of the College Teachers Association (GUACTA) affiliated to Gorakhpur University and the former registrar.

In April last year, VC Rajesh Singh had removed the then registrar, Omprakash, alleging non-cooperation and appointed Professor Ajay Singh as the acting registrar. However, Omprakash challenged the VC’s decision, saying that according to the University Act, the VC cannot remove him from his post. Later, the government also claimed that the VC cannot dismiss the registrar. The matter was resolved when the registrar was transferred.

Soon after, the VC had another confrontation with the president of the University Teachers’ Association, Vinod Singh, when he wrote a letter to the VC urging him to grant ex-gratia from the Teachers Welfare Fund to the families of two teachers who had died of the coronavirus infection. The VC responded that an application regarding such a payment should be submitted by the kin of the dead. To this, Vinod reacted sharply. He wrote another letter to the VC to nominate the election officer for conducting the election of the teachers’ union. When the VC did not respond to his letter, Singh resigned from the post of president of the teachers’ union.

The VC also came into conflict with the office bearers of the College Teachers’ Association (GUACTA) affiliated to Gorakhpur University. The VC initiated disciplinary proceedings against the president, general secretary and former president of GUACTA. Rajesh Singh said that the three teacher leaders had entered his room without prior permission. He issued notices to the three teachers and asked the principals of their respective colleges to take action against them.

GUACTA officials protested against the VC’s decision and met the governor and chancellor about it.

A video of the VC scolding the head of department, economics has also gone viral on social media.

The controversy over QS World University Ranking

The VC of Gorakhpur University claimed in the media that Gorakhpur University has been ranked among the top 10