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Journalism of Courage
Selects former OSD Thampu as principal after operating for over a year without helmsman
Without a principal for more than a year, St Stephen8217;s College on Friday selected its former Officer on Special Duty Valson Thampu as the new principal.
Thampu was forced to quit on March 15 this year following controversy over his 8220;fake8221; PhD degree. Late Friday afternoon, the college8217;s supreme council picked Thampu from among 12 candidates, interviewed since 10 am.
Controversy began stalking Thampu earlier this year when he sent showcause notices to two History teachers and began calling himself 8220;principal8221;. Since Delhi University rules make it mandatory for a college principal to have a PhD degree, Thampu also declared he had a doctorate in Theology from Allahabad Agricultural University.
The twin moves led to an agitation by the Delhi University Teachers8217; Association: dubbing his degree 8220;fake8221;, the teachers8217; body sought his resignation. In March, in reply to an RTI application made to University Grants Commission UGC by The Indian Express, UGC said there were doubts about the veracity of the doctorate conferred on Thampu. He resigned as Stephen8217;s OSD on March 15 after the UGC reply became public; M S Frank was declared the new pro-tem administrator.
However, UGC later clarified that Thampu8217;s PhD was valid.
On August 22, the High Court ruled that Stephen8217;s was a 8220;minority institution8221;, with a free hand to select a qualified candidate as principal.
Today, after Thampu was selected for the post, a senior UGC official refused to comment, calling it the 8220;university8217;s issue8221;.
Thampu himself was not available for comments but there were mixed reaction from within the faculty. Calling it a 8220;fantastic8221; news, Nandita Narain, head of Mathematics department, said: 8220;I can8217;t believe it since there has been so much controversy and propaganda against him. This is the best decision the supreme council could have taken.8221;
But another department head name withheld on request said Thampu8217;s appointment would deepen the divide between teachers for and against him. But Narain said Thampu would 8220;heal the divide8221; in the college: 8220;When he was OSD last year, he was not given a chance. But as a permanent head, divisions will be healed.8221;
Aditya Narayan Mishra, the DUTA president who in February had sought Thampu8217;s resignation, said, 8220;It is unfortunate that a person whose PhD is in question has become the principal of a premier institution.8221;
Besides nine outstation candidates, the supreme council today interviewed present Stephen8217;s pro-tem administrator M S Frank and Professor of English at Jesus and Mary College Shobhana Bhattacharya for the post. The interviews were conducted at the Church Lane residence of Bishop Sunil Kumar Singh.
Dateline Thampu
March 2007: Valson Thampu becomes Officer on Special Duty OSD, St Stephen8217;s College
April-December 2007: Controversy grips his policies like quota for Dalit students and disbanding Indian Mathematical Association
January 2008: Thampu sends showcause notice to two History teachers for allegedly promoting 8216;anti-OSD8217; feelings in class. Triggers resentment among DU teachers8217; Association
February 2008: Questions about Thampu8217;s PhD degree becomes a stumbling block from him becoming principal 8211; DU rules make doctorate mandatory. Thampu maintains he has PhD in Theology from Allahabad Agricultural University
March 15, 2008: Thampu resigns; M S Frank becomes college8217;s pro-tem administrator
