'UGC rules violated': Delhi University blocks St Stephen’s principal appointment- what happened

The Delhi University has asked St Stephen’s College to stop the appointment process of its new principal, saying the selection committee was not formed as per UGC regulations.

In a letter dated May 14, the DU registrar told the chairman of the college governing body that recent reports about the appointment raised concerns over compliance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2018.

The college had earlier announced that Susan Elias would take charge as the 14th principal of St Stephen’s College and the first woman to hold the post from June 1. The announcement was made by the Supreme Council of the college on Tuesday.

But DU said the process needs to follow proper rules. DU Registrar Vikas Gupta told PTI, “The college is 100 per cent funded by the central government and has to come under the UGC Rules. The regulations cannot be violated.”

In the letter, DU cited Clause 5 of the UGC Regulations, 2018, which lays down how selection committees must be formed for appointing college principals and professors. It also detailed that the committee must include nominees of the vice-chancellor, higher education experts, and subject experts.

The university further pointed out that for minority institutions, specific members must be chosen from panels approved by the vice-chancellor and statutory bodies.

It said, “In case of Colleges notified/declared as minority educational institutions, one nominee of the Chairperson of the College from out of a panel of five names, preferably from minority communities, recommended by the Vice-Chancellor of the affiliating university of whom one should be a subject expert.”

DU also said it was not approached for nominating experts as required under the rules.

It added, “It appears that the Selection Committee for the appointment of a new principal in the college has not been constituted in accordance with the provisions of UGC Regulations 2018.”

The university said any recommendation made by such a committee cannot be implemented. It has now directed St Stephen’s College not to proceed further and to reconvene the selection committee as per UGC norms.

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