Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) witnessed a day of high administrative drama on Wednesday as the Haryana Governor-cum-Chancellor, Ashim Kumar Ghosh, intervened to reinstate the university’s Registrar within 12 hours of his suspension by the Vice-Chancellor. The Governor also ordered the immediate postponement of the university’s 304th Executive Council (EC) meeting, which had become the focal point of a bitter internal power struggle.
The Suspension Late Tuesday night, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajbir Singh issued an order placing Registrar Dr. Krishan Kant and senior professor Dr. Naseeb Singh Gill (Department of Computer Science and Applications) under suspension. The VC accused the Registrar of “gross violation” of the University Act and “insubordination,” claiming his actions had brought the university’s functioning to a standstill.
The Catalyst: The EC Meeting Row The conflict erupted over the scheduling of the EC meeting.
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The Postponement Request: On Tuesday, the State Higher Education Department reportedly issued directions to stay the meeting. Following this, Registrar Dr. Krishan Kant emailed EC members informing them of the postponement.
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The VC’s Defiance: Vice-Chancellor Rajbir Singh allegedly attempted to proceed with the meeting despite the government stay. He viewed the Registrar’s email as an unauthorized move to sabotage the session.
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The Hidden Agenda: Sources suggest the urgency behind the meeting was the confirmation of minutes from a previous meeting to finalize key appointments before the VC’s term ends this Friday.
Chancellor’s Intervention On Wednesday morning, just minutes before the rescheduled online meeting was to begin, the Governor’s office issued a formal directive setting aside the suspension of Dr. Krishan Kant. The Chancellor’s letter stated:
“The suspension order dated February 17 is set aside with immediate effect. The Registrar is reinstated until further orders, and the Vice-Chancellor shall take no further action without prior approval from the Chancellor’s office.”
The Governor termed the VC’s attempt to hold the meeting a “clear violation” of government orders. While the Registrar has been reinstated, the status of Professor Naseeb Singh Gill’s suspension remains under review as of Wednesday afternoon.