Joshi’s IIAS man won’t stand probe

Pandey, a professor of Ancient History, is among the Joshi faithfuls against whom complaints have piled up since the change of government at the Centre. Arjun Singh has not been hurried into taking a harsh step because he does not want his detoxification exercise to proceed too fast. But a committee under former IAS officer D. Bandopadhyay was set up recently to probe all the goings-on, including saffronisation, at the institute.

For the past several years, the IIAS—once considered the hub of internationally acclaimed social scientists—has been going through a process of decline. Very few foreign professors and research scholars are attracted to the university. Its research topics are hardly arousing curiosity the world over. There has been not much of praiseworthy research.

Of course, the probe was to look into all aspects and would have found it difficult to pinpoint shortcomings on a subjective plane like quality of research. But Bandopadhyay reported to the ministry recently that when he went to Shimla, not only did the director not provide him with any help, she even asked all her subordinates not to cooperate with her.

It was on the basis of these complaints that the ministry has now sent a note to the chairperson, ordering him under Rule 6 of the Memorandum of Association for the institute to facilitate the inquiry.

The ministry has said in the note despatched yesterday that the institute should the ‘‘pass necessary indirections and ensure that the director, IIAS, and all concerned in the institute fully cooperate with the one-man review committee…so that the institute is not open to the charge of suppresio veri suggestio falsi

The ministry has said in the note that the chairperson should immediately issue a show-cause notice to the director and ask her why she had not cooperated with the review committee. The chairperson has also been asked to explain within seven days what exactly had happened and why.