DU college principal removed

Rajiv Chopra questions motive behind administration’s step

Officiating principal of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce (DCAC), Rajiv Chopra, was removed from his post and repatriated in a sudden move by Delhi University on Sunday night.

Six-month period

Mr. Chopra, who has been the principal of the college for the last six and a half years, said the move was completely unexpected with the university issuing the order on late Sunday night through a letter to the university representative Naveen Kumar.

The university’s Deputy Registrar, in their letter, wrote that an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) is ordinarily appointed for a period of six months to officiate as the principal of a college. It also contended that Mr. Chopra had completed more than six years, having been appointed in October 2013. He was thus directed to be repatriated to his parent college, Aurobindo College.

Mr. Chopra questioned the motive behind the action, arguing that if the six-month rule was being applied to him, it must be applied to officiating principals of several other colleges.

Mr. Chopra informed that an issue had earlier arisen regarding his appointment. While a selection committee, comprising three governing body members and two university representatives had in 2018 identified Mr. Chopra as first in the order of merit for the post of principal, he said the administration composed another selection committee and picked a different professor for the post, who was third in the order of merit.

The college’s governing body rejected this new selection, Mr. Chopra said, adding that he took the university to court over the matter alleging that the new selection committee was illegal and outside of UGC guidelines.

The university representative requested Mr. Chopra to handover the charge to one Anuradha Gupta and join Aurobindho College with immediate effect.