DU suspends Ramanujan College principal over harassment complaint

NEW DELHI: The University of Delhi has suspended Professor Rasal Singh, principal of Ramanujan College, after a faculty member lodged a complaint of harassment and hostile behaviour against him, officials confirmed on Monday.

The suspension order, issued last week, follows a complaint filed on March 13. The matter was reviewed by a governing body panel and a fact-finding committee before the decision to suspend Singh was taken, pending further inquiry.

In a grievance submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on September 13, Singh termed the complaint “false and retaliatory” and alleged that it was linked to a promotion case that had not been approved. “The timing clearly indicates the retaliatory and afterthought nature of the complaint”, Singh wrote.

The principal also raised concerns about procedural lapses, pointing out that the matter was not referred to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as mandated under UGC and PoSH rules. “Despite the lapse of over six months since the complaint was filed, it has not yet been referred to the ICC. Instead, I am facing undue political pressure to resign under threat of termination or suspension”, he wrote.

Singh, who previously served as Dean of Students’ Welfare and Dean of Languages at the Central University of Jammu, highlighted his academic record and contributions during his tenure, including Ramanujan College’s jump in NIRF rankings from 65 to 37. “This unfounded allegation has caused severe professional damage and personal distress, tarnishing my hard-earned reputation as a first-generation academic from a rural background”, the letter stated. (ANI)