Teachers slam varsity's 'mistake' of choosing ex-Isro chief for post

NEW DELHI: Controversy continues to dog Dinesh Singh as Delhi University sources now say that selection of former Indian Space Research Organization chairman K Kasturirangan in the search committee by the university was an "intentional mistake" to delay the process of selecting the new vice-chancellor.
Teachers are also seeing the coming together of archrivals Democratic Teachers' Front (DTF) and Academics for Action and Development (AAD) to stem anti-VC protests by Delhi University Teachers Association.
Another group of teachers in the university say that the director, South Campus, Umesh Rai, will complete 10 years as professor in December and thereby become eligible for selection to the VC's post. They claim that the delay has been engineered in violation of Delhi University Act so as to make him eligible for selection.
"This is to ensure that Umesh Rai become eligible for selection. Moreover, teachers expected DUTA to have a final go at demanding DU VC's removal, but coming together of DTF-AAD ensured it did not happen. Unfortunately, the DUTA president who has so far been the face of the struggle fell silent at this crucial moment," said J Khuntiya, chairman, AAD (Rathi).Kasturirangan's selection and the subsequent volte-face has, in fact, come in for criticism from several quarters.
"If it was a mistake, the question is, being a VC, does he deserves to make such a mistake? Kasturirangan has been made honorary professor during his tenure. Everybody knows he was trying for extension. Right from the introduction of the four-year undergraduate programme to diversion of Rs 150 crore, the VC is saying he is not responsible. He is shifting the onus of his mistakes on others," Manoj Khanna of National Democratic Teachers Front said.