PU Vice Chancellor quits amid graft allegations

Deepankar Sharda

Chandigarh, January 16

Panjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar has tendered his resignation, the development coming about two months after he was accused of corruption and malpractices.

Courting controversy

• Accused of ignoring seniority for promotions; ‘role’ in multi-tasking workers’ recruitment scam and JE bribery scandal
• Prof Raj Kumar was appointed PU VC on July 23, 2018
• Was given a three-year extension in 2021 and his tenure was to end on July 23, 2024

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is the university chancellor, accepted Kumar’s resignation on January 13, said officials. He has appointed Renu Vig, PU’s Dean of University Instructions (DUI), as the VC till further orders. When contacted on phone, Kumar said the “PR (Public Relations) Department would speak on the issue”. An official statement that was released later said Kumar had resigned due to “family issues”. Sources in the university, however, said Kumar was asked to resign on January 10 after he had a meeting with the Vice-President where the PU Registrar was also present.

A professor at the Banaras Hindu University’s Institute of Management Studies, Kumar was appointed the 13th PU VC on July 23, 2018, for a period of three years. He was given a three-year extension in 2021 and his tenure was to end on July 23, 2024.

Kumar had been courting controversies regularly and was recently accused of corruption by PU senate member Satya Pal Jain and his team headed by former Chandigarh Mayor Davesh Moudgil. He also remained at loggerheads with the Panjab University Teachers’ Association, student political groups and a few faculty members. He was also accused of “picking his favourites to various posts and using powers for vested interests”.

During the recent elections to choose the new PU syndicate, differences had cropped up between Kumar and Jain, who is an Additional Solicitor General of India and a former Chandigarh MP. The elected members are learnt to have been divided into “pro-VC” and “anti-VC” groups.

“Prof Raj Kumar’s resignation has been accepted and the Chancellor has appointed Renu Vig as the new VC from January 16 onwards till further orders. Congratulations! I assure her of full cooperation,” said Jain.