Rajasthan governor refuses to accept V-C’s resignation, status quo at Bikaner university

The issue concerned appointments to 11 posts of associate professor at the university. Trouble began during the interview stage, when one of the board members objected to the interviews being held in his absence. The objecting members also cited “procedural flaws” in deciding the final appointments and alleged political favouritism by the V-C.

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Earlier, the board had decided to put the appointments on hold. However, after one of the applicants moved the Rajasthan High Court, the court directed the university to proceed with the appointments.

Two of the sealed appointment envelopes, for the post of computer science associate professors, were opened during the meeting held Wednesday, leading to objections by some of the members. Following the commotion, Padia postponed the meeting, refusing to work in “such an atmosphere” and said she would approach the governor.

“We had already spent a lot of money on inviting experts for the interviews and this board member objected just because he was unable to attend that meeting,” Padia told The Indian Express. “Not once in my career of 40 years have I been accused of being politically inclined. It is true that I have worked on India’s intellectual traditions. But these traditions are not the monopoly of either Congress or BJP. I was appointed by then governor Margaret Alva in 2013,” she said.

About her decision to offer her resignation, Padia said she had no choice after the lack of support on part of the members. “Some of the members were unnecessarily creating problems with regard to appointments. They were yelling and shouting during the meeting so I decided to meet the governor and offer my resignation,” she told The Indian Express.

“The governor was very supportive and asked me to return to work. So I have joined. I don’t know why these members are creating problems when even the High Court termed their objections baseless, and instructed us to proceed with the appointments,” she added.

A source in the university administration said that the board members were unhappy as they could not have much say in the appointments and were therefore alleging the appointments were politically motivated.

“But now that the Rajasthan High Court has asked the university to proceed with appointments, I don’t know on what basis they are blocking the meeting,” he said.

Padia, who is also the V-C of Banaras Hindu University and chairperson of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies in Shimla, was appointed V-C of MGSU by then Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva in November 2013.

She was recently in the news when IIAS secretary Suneel Verma resigned from his post in August, reportedly over differences with Padia over the use of the institute guest house.