New Delhi: Trustees of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) removed chancellor Sanjeev Sanyal from his post earlier this week citing the institute’s declining credentials and allegations of misconduct in staff hiring.
Sanyal was replaced by former Bombay high court judge, Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari, The Times of India reported.
Interim vice-chancellor (VC) Shankar Das has said the trustees’ actions violate University Grants Commission’s (UGC) norms and called the move “null and void”
Meanwhile, Justice Dharmadhikari confirmed his appointment, saying he accepted it “with humility for an opportunity to serve such a renowned institution”.
Sanyal is a member of the economic advisory council (EAC) to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had served as chancellor for less than six months, having taken over in October 2024 after Bibek Debroy resigned.
Debroy’s tenure had seen tensions over the appointment of former VC Ajit Ranade. Debroy attempted to terminate Ranade, but Sanyal later reversed the decision. Ranade resigned in November 2024, leading to Das’s appointment as interim VC.
‘Bypassing of procedures in staff hiring’
“The interim VC issued appointments without forming a proper selection committee,” said a Servants of India Society trustee – GIPE’s parent organisation. “When we asked Sanyal to review these irregularities, there was no response. Registrar Kapil Jodh opposed these appointments and Das terminated him Wednesday,” he added.
SIS president Damodar Sahoo accused Sanyal of inaction in a letter Wednesday, citing GIPE’s declining credentials, including its downgrade to a ‘B’ grade in NAAC accreditation.”We are pained to see GIPE’s decline. There is no concrete plan of action from you,” Sahoo wrote.
Responding to the letter, Das said that UGC guidelines stipulate a chancellor’s five-year tenure and don’t mention a removal process. He urged SIS to retract the decision to prevent legal complications.
GIPE’s officiating deputy registrar Vishal Gaikwad extended support to Das, saying that “all recruitments at the institute have been advertised and due process followed”. He said that allegations against Das were false and insisted Sanyal remains chancellor.
