The Central government has dismissed Manipur University vice-chancellor Adya Prasad Pandey from the post with immediate effect.
The human resources development ministry in an order on Friday said that Pandey has been sacked on charges of his alleged involvement in administrative and financial irregularities.
“In an inquiry report, he was found indulging in “financial and administrative irregularities, including misconduct, dereliction of duties, abuse of power and lack of commitment, causing great harm to the academic environment and bringing the varsity into disrepute”, said the order signed by Surat Singh, deputy secretary to the Government of India.
“The post of Vice-Chancellor is a post of pivotal importance and the entire discipline and ethos of the university revolve around him. As per statute 3(3) of the statues of Manipur University Act, 2005, it shall be the duty of the V-C to see that this Act, the statutes, the ordinance and the regulations are duly observed and he shall have all the powers necessary to ensure such observance.
“However, it has emerged that Prof Adya Prasad Pandey has failed miserably in performing duties assigned under statute 3(3) of the Manipur University Act, 2005,” the order said.
Appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University on October 26, 2016, Pandey was placed under suspension in 2018 after violent protests erupted on campus, which led to the prolonged shutdown of the university.
The protest was launched by the Manipur University Students’ Union, who demanded removal of Pandey, accusing him of financial and administrative irregularities. Later, teachers and other staff members joined the protest, Indian Express reported.
In his absence, the division bench of the Manipur High Court passed an order appointing Jarnail Singh, former chief secretary of Manipur, as administrator of the varsity, to bring back normalcy on the campus.
