Ajit Ranade resigns as V-C of GIPE: the row over his appointment, dismissal

When he was removed as Vice Chancellor in September, Ranade had moved the Bombay High Court, contending he was not granted a personal hearing before his removal. The petition sought the quashing of his dismissal order.

What is the controversy over Ranade’s appointment, why was he reinstated, and what did the Bombay HC say?

Why was Ajit Ranade dismissed as V-C?

GIPE was established in 1930 for research and training in economics, by the Servants of India Society, a social reform organisation founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Ranade assumed charge as its V-C in February 2022.

On June 27 this year, the then Chancellor of GIPE and former Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar issued a show cause notice to Ranade “with reference to several complaints” about his “alleged misrepresentation and unacceptable conduct while discharging” his duties as V-C, “as reported to me (Kumar) by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Prime Minister’s Office.”

It was during Kumar’s term as Chancellor that Ranade was appointed.

The notice said that the Chancellor had received an official communication from the UGC dated June 4 highlighting Ranade’s “role in GIPE’s non-compliance to UGC regulations”. It added that on a complaint received by the UGC earlier this year regarding Ranade’s appointment as V-C being in violation of UGC regulations, his reply was found to be “evasive and without appropriate supporting documents by the UGC.”

Ranade’s petition before the Bombay HC notes that a letter was addressed to the UGC in January this year by one Murali Krishna, alleging that Ranade was not eligible to be the V-C. It was this complaint that the show cause notice referred to.

The notice added that some GIPE faculty members, including some members of the Board of Management and the non-teaching staff, had “objected” to Ranade’s functioning in a letter in January this year. The letter, with 35 signatories, addressed to Ranade, alleged that in the last two years, “majority of the decisions related to appointments are based on your discretion, superseding all the rules and regulations of the institute and the regulatory bodies.”

They had alleged that policies like fee hikes and “withdrawal of pensionary benefits for staff” were not brought up in faculty meetings or discussed with the staff.

In his petition before the Bombay HC, Ranade had said that the letter was “based on differences of opinion/approach in the administration of the institute” and “such issues can be resolved with deliberation and debate.”

On the show cause notice, Ranade asked Kumar for time to respond and he was granted time till August 12.

Meanwhile, Kumar’s term ended on July 14. The late Bibek Debroy, economist and chairperson of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, was appointed Chancellor.

Ranade’s petition stated that after he responded on August 8, he was “orally informed that a fact-finding committee would be set up to investigate the allegations mentioned in the show cause notice”.

What did the committee find?

The report of the three-member committee, dated September 13, noted that Ranade was a member of the GIPE Board of Management in 2021, and was present at meetings held that year (on May 21 and September 11) which discussed the formation of the search-cum-selection committee to appoint the V-C. Ranade had suggested the nomination of an individual to the committee.

On September 11, the then registrar invited Ranade to apply for the post of V-C, to which he expressed willingness, the report noted. On September 29, the committee shortlisted 12 candidates for the post of V-C, including Ranade. Ranade offered to resign from the Board of Management on October 20.

The report added that Ranade’s involvement in meetings to determine the appointment of V-C and his participation in discussions on the nomination of an individual to the selection committee “raises significant concerns about a potential conflict of interest.”

Ranade’s decision not to recuse himself from the board’s proceedings “can be viewed as a breach of ethical standards”, it added.

The report also stated that Ranade did not meet the criteria laid down by UGC regulations — that the V-C must be a “distinguished academician with at least 10 years of experience as a professor in a university” or with “ten years of experience in a reputed research and/or academic administrative organisation with proof of having demonstrated academic leadership.”

Ranade had “only one year two months of experience as a Professor”, the report said, and “strongly” recommended his removal from the position of V-C.

On the basis of this report, Debroy, on September 14, issued a communication to Ranade removing him as V-C “with immediate effect.”

What did Ranade say in his petition in the Bombay HC?

Ranade contended that he was not given the opportunity of a personal hearing, and was not allowed to present his case “including by responding to the fact-finding committee report.”

While the report had said Ranade “acknowledged this conflict” (of being involved in the process of constituting the selection committee while being a V-C candidate), Ranade said in his petition this was not true.

He also said that he had no intention of applying to the post of V-C when he suggested the name of one of the members of the selection committee. On his qualifications, he said he served as chief economist to the Aditya Birla Group from November 2003 to January 2022.

The petition sought his reinstatement as Vice Chancellor.

What happened next?

The Bombay HC first put Ranade’s termination on hold till September 23, and then continued its interim order and directed that the termination order would not be brought into effect till October 7.

Meanwhile, Debroy resigned as Chancellor on September 27. In an email to Ranade, Debroy wrote: “You asserted in your writ petition that I had not applied my mind and the stay order vindicates your position.” He added that under these circumstances, he had no moral right to continue in his post.

Sanyal was then appointed Chancellor. In an order dated October 21, Sanyal recalled the order that dismissed Ranade. In his order, Sanyal wrote that Ranade would be given an opportunity to be heard and present his case before the Chancellor, and that the order of recall is “issued solely to ensure procedural fairness and uphold the reputation of the institute.”