Dr Ajit Ranade resigns as Vice Chancellor of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics

Ranade, who has been embroiled in a controversy surrounding his appointment, wrote, “Please note that this letter of resignation does not in any way indicate my acceptance of any defect or ineligibility in my appointment as Vice Chancellor in October 2021.”

Ranade was terminated as Vice Chancellor by the previous Chancellor of the Gokhale Institute, the late Bibek Debroy, on September 14 this year after a fact-finding committee found his appointment qualifications did not conform to University Grants Commission (UGC) norms.

Ranade challenged his termination in the Bombay High Court and got interim relief, following which Debroy resigned from the post of Chancellor. Sanyal was appointed as the new Chancellor and he cancelled the termination order passed by his predecessor, saying that Ranade should get a chance to defend his case internally within the institute.

On October 22, Sanyal’s lawyer informed the Bombay High Court that the September 14 order of termination of Dr Ranade as the Vice Chancellor was withdrawn. A division bench of Justices R V Ghuge and M M Sathaye accepted the statement and disposed of Ranade’s plea challenging the termination order.

Welcoming the decision to cancel the termination, Ranade had said, “I welcome with thanks the decision of the Honourable Chancellor of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics to withdraw the earlier order of my termination from the post of Vice Chancellor at Gokhale Institute. The same was also informed by the lawyer representing the Chancellor’s office during the hearing at the Honourable Bombay High Court this morning during the hearing.”