HRD ministry issues show-cause notice to DU VC over FYUP move

Delhi University Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh has been issued a show-cause notice asking him to explain the circumstances under which he had introduced the controversial FYUP, a step which could lead to his removal.

The Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) was scrapped in June last year after the NDA government entered office and following pressure from UGC for it to be done away with. HRD ministry sources said the VC has been given 15 days to reply to the notice, which the ministry sent on Tuesday after the nod of the Visitor to DU, President Pranab Mukherjee.

The ministry had sent all the representations received about irregularities allegedly committed by Singh to the President. Singh has faced controversy ever since the introduction of the FYUP, allegedly without the clearances. His tenure as the DU VC ends in October this year.

"The show-cause notice also asks Singh to explain why B.Tech courses were started by the varsity without due clearance from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)," said sources in the HRD ministry. "Singh has also been asked to explain the diversion of funds to the tune of Rs 172 crore meant for OBC students to buy laptops," they added.

Meanwhile, the university said it has received no such communication from the ministry. The ministry sources, however, said that strong action could be initiated against the VC if he does not reply back. "He could be removed after due permission of the Visitor," the sources said.

Singh had also been facing flak from the Delhi University Teacher's Association (DUTA), which has been demanding his removal since last year and had also released a white paper in August accusing the VC of administrative and financial irregularities. The DU teachers' association has also demanded a Visitorial inquiry into the allegations and sought the intervention of the President.

Taking cognisance of the DUTA white paper, HRD ministry had asked the varsity to send a point-wise response to the allegations made in the document. A committee which was set up by the ministry to look into the alleged diversion of funds was also understood to have found the VC guilty in its report submitted to the ministry.

HRD ministry had also questioned the Vice Chancellor in January about the preparations made about the choice-based credit transfer scheme from the coming academic session and the launch of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC). HRD ministry had also forwarded to the President a letter written by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury highlighting alleged irregularities by the VC in the varsity's functioning.

Yechury had in November last year led a delegation of the university's teachers to the President to protest against Singh's continuation in office. In his letter, Yechury also mentioned DUTA's white paper alleging grave illegalities, academic erosion and administrative breakdown due to the abuse of office by the VC.