Court directs Jamia to appoint regular VC within a month
M.A.BAIG, DELHI NEWS BUREAU
NEW DELHI: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has appointed Prof. Mohammad Shakeel as its officiating Vice Chancellor (VC), following a Delhi High Court order quashing the appointment of Prof. Eqbal Hussain.
HC Finds Irregularities in Appointment Process of Eqbal Hussain
The High Court, in its judgment on Wednesday, ruled that Hussain’s appointment as both pro-VC and officiating VC violated university statutes. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela pointed out that the university failed to follow proper procedures laid out in Statute 2 for appointing a VC. The court also questioned the university’s delay in initiating the appointment process despite knowing the previous VC’s term was ending.
Prof. Shakeel Takes Charge
Prof. Shakeel, the senior-most professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, assumed the role of officiating VC on Wednesday. He will hold the position until a regular VC is appointed. Shakeel has a long history with JMI, having joined as a lecturer in 1986 and risen through the ranks to hold various administrative positions including Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Controller of Examinations, Director, Centre for Distance and Online Education, Head, Department of Civil Engineering.
Court Orders Appointment of Regular VC
The High Court has directed the President of India, in his capacity as the Visitor to JMI, to appoint an acting VC within a week and initiate the process for a regular VC within two weeks. The entire process of selecting a regular VC should be completed within 30 days.
Justice Gedela concludes, “It is to be kept in mind that the fact that the previous VC was going to demit office due to expiry of her tenure by efflux of time was known to all and sundry. No explanation as to why steps in the ordinary course under Statute 2 of the Statutes of the University were not initiated well in time, has been placed on record. Moreover, the University in such situation was not powerless to appoint the senior most Professor as Officiating VC in terms of proviso to Clause (6) of Statute 2. This Court is acutely aware of the fact that the post of VC cannot be kept vacant having regard to the importance of the said post, both administratively and academically as well as for exercise of emergent powers, however, the appointments to such post have to be sacrosanct and above board.”
Justice Gedela said “This would ensure that the academic and administrative machinery of the University does not suffer.” The Visitor, may in the meanwhile, simultaneously, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Statute direct the initiation of process of appointment of a VC on regular basis. The court added that there was no explanation as to why the Office Order appointing Hussain as the Pro Vice Chancellor was not placed before the Executive Council being the Appointing Authority for its approval and confirmation.
The court added that there was no explanation as to why the Office Order appointing Hussain as the Pro Vice Chancellor was not placed before the Executive Council being the Appointing Authority for its approval and confirmation.
Arguments Presented in Court
The judgment came in response to two petitions challenging Hussain’s appointment. The petitioners argued that the appointment process bypassed university statutes and was illegal.
Moving Forward
The court’s decision ensures that JMI’s administrative and academic functioning continues uninterrupted while a proper search is conducted for a regular VC. The emphasis on following established procedures underlines the importance of transparency and adherence to university regulations.
Following his taking charge, Prof. Shakeel appointed Deputy Registrar M Nasim Haider as the Officiating Registrar of the university as the post of regular Registrar fell vacant since some months as outgoing VC Eqbal Hussain removed Prof. Nazim Hussain Al-Jafari from the post.
Message of New acting VC
In his message, after taking the charge, Prof. Shakeel vowed that living up to the promises of the founding fathers, we strived to realize our vision to ‘create a human universe that offers inclusiveness, equity, fellowship, justice and peace for one and all’. “We continue to serve the nation through quality teaching and research through the production of competent, skilled and sensitive human resource that would catalyze enrichment of physical and human environment,” he added.