NEW DELHI — India’s federal government has sought approval from President Parnab Mukherjee to seek inquiry into Aligarh Muslim University’s Vice Chancellor Zameeruddin Shah.
Federal Education Minister Prakash Javadekar has written a letter to the president for his nod to probe allegations of financial, administrative and academic irregularities against AMU vice chancellor.
Shah could be probed for allegations such as appointment of assistant professors against vacant position of professor and associate professor, transferring funds collected from university students to the account of a private trust named Sir Syed Educational Foundation, and collapse of law and order on campus. Shah is also accused of wrongly invoking his emergency powers to appoint a retired brigadier, who has never served as professor, as AMU’s pro-vice-chancellor.
In his defense, Shah said, “I am not aware of this, but the government is welcome to institute any inquiry. I have nothing to hide.” He also suggested that it could be a conspiracy created by those unhappy with the development work being carried out in AMU.
If the proposal is accepted by Mukherjee’s office, the education ministry will issue a show cause to AMU seeking an explanation on why an inquiry should not be instituted to look into complaints of financial, administrative and academic irregularities. If dissatisfied with the initial response, the education ministry will launch a visitorial inquiry.
Shah is among a number of vice chancellors to come under the government’s scanner since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power in 2014. The education ministry under Smriti Irani had fired the heads of Visva-Bharati University and Pondicherry University on the grounds of administrative, academic and financial irregularities. Inquiries were also initiated against the IGNOU V-C, former head of Delhi University and the Jamia Millia Islamia V-C.
