Manipur V-C Adya Prasad Pandey absent from campus for almost 200 days, finds govt inquiry

Pandey, who was a professor of economics at Banaras Hindu University before his appointment, has been on leave since August 2, 2018. Former Manipur chief secretary Jarnail Singh was subsequently appointed as administrator to discharge the V-C’s functions.

Read | Manipur HC suspends pro V-C, registrar amidst fresh tension

The HRD Ministry had instituted a two-member inquiry against Pandey on August 17, 2018, after an agitation by students and teachers paralysed the university for over a month. The students had alleged that Pandey is inaccessible, spends little time on campus, misuses university funds and meetings of the university’s Executive Council. The V-C, on the other hand, attributed the agitation to him rejecting the students’ union demand for Rs 10.7 lakh to print their annual magazine.

In addition to his unjustified absence from the university, the inquiry report, submitted by former Allahabad High Court judge Sakha Ram Singh Yadav and former Osmania University V-C Tirupathi Rao, also found that Pandey did not hold the university court meeting between October 26, 2016 and May 30, 2018. MU, under him, also did not hold its convocation even though an expenditure of roughly Rs 10 lakh was incurred for procuring gold medals.

Also read | Manipur University V-C AP Pandey suspended until completion of inquiry

The report draws attention to the V-C’s failure in filling up posts of registrar and controller of examination. It also notes that MU did not follow academic calendar under his leadership and declaration of exam results was delayed.

Video | Road to a Model Village: The Manipur’s Langei Village Has It All

Although the V-C, the report states, was given ample opportunity to present his defence with regard to the allegations, he refused to submit a response to the committee. The findings are being studied by the ministry, The Indian Express has learnt.