Ashoka founders promise to appoint ombudsperson

New Delhi, March 22

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Days after facing a backlash from academics at home and abroad over the resignations of Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Arvind Subramanian, the founders of Ashoka University today promised to appoint an ombudsperson by March 31 to ensure academic freedom.

“The founders want to articulate their deep commitment and respect for the autonomy of the university and its academic functioning. The Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor will propose candidates for this position for approval by the governing body,” a statement from Ashoka University’s Board of Trustees to the faculty said today. The trustees acknowledged that protocols and processes to maintain a separation of the academic functioning from the founders needed to be established. — TNS