Acting principal of Delhi University’s Kirori Mal College has been removed from office with immediate effect following allegations of financial mismanagement. The decision was taken at a meeting of the governing body (GB) on Tuesday, June 30.
“The GB has decided that the officiating principal SP Gupta be relieved from office pending an enquiry against him and Dinesh Khattar from the department of mathematics will take charge as the principal,” a GB member said. The decision comes in wake of allegations of mismanagement of funds granted by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to conduct its national eligibility test (NET) in 2012-13.
A committee constituted by UGC to inquire into the allegations found that the principal could not produce sufficient documents to account for Rs 89,22,161 of Rs 1.5 crore that the UGC had granted to the college for conducting five exams — three rounds of NET and two for the recruitment of education officers. “Gupta, will however, continue to work at the Department of Commerce. He has been given a chance to explain his position and three-months time has been given to him to settle the issue with UGC,” the member added. Gupta was appointed as the officiating principal in August, 2012.