Centre reappoints Yogesh Singh as Delhi University Vice Chancellor for second five-year term

Before the rules were changed, DU was among the few central universities in the country where the VC was not eligible for re-appointment. The development follows a statutory amendment first reported by The Indian Express in October 2023, when the Union government approved changes to the Delhi University Statutes enabling the VC to serve a second consecutive term through reappointment.

Before the amendment, an incumbent VC of DU seeking another term had to apply afresh alongside other candidates. The VC could continue until their successor assumed office, but a seamless transition to a second term was not possible.

The amendment altered Statute 11-F(4) to state that the VC “shall hold office for a term of five years and shall be eligible for re-appointment for another term”.

At the time, university officials had told The Indian Express that the amendment was not a fresh proposal but the revival of a resolution that was originally passed by Delhi University’s Executive Council in March 2014 during the tenure of then Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh.

The proposal had subsequently been approved by the University Court and forwarded to the Ministry of Education, where it remained pending for almost a decade before receiving the Visitor’s approval in 2023.

Speaking to The Indian Express then, Prof Yogesh Singh had earlier said, “This is not a new proposal. This was approved by the EC under the leadership of Dinesh Singh ji and has now been approved by the Visitor too.”

During Dinesh Singh’s term (2010-15) as VC, aside from approving a resolution on giving the VC another term, the EC, DU’s highest decision-making authority, had also passed resolutions increasing the retirement age of several office bearers such as the Dean of Colleges and the Pro-Vice Chancellor from 65 years to 70 years. This change too was approved by the Centre.

Yogesh Singh, who assumed office as Delhi University’s VC in 2021, will begin his second five-year term on October 8, 2026, according to the Ministry’s order.

As the 23rd VC of DU, Singh’s current term has seen the rollout of the National Education Policy (NEP) at the university, implementation of the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), sweeping curriculum reforms, expansion of admissions through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), the establishment of new academic centres, and significant restructuring across colleges and departments. Singh had earlier served as VC of Delhi Technological University (2016–2021), Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, and The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (2011–2014).