Hyderabad University V-C goes on indefinite leave

The vice-chancellor of the University of Hyderabad Prof Appa Rao Podile has gone on indefinite leave owing to personal reasons. Appa Rao was under fire for his alleged role in the suspension of five Dalit research scholars and the subsequent suicide of Vemula Rohith.

A note from the office of University of Hyderabad (UoH) Registrar on their official website reads “The vice-chancellor will be on leave. In the absence of the vice-chancellor, Dr Vipin Srivastava, the senior most professor, shall perform the duties of the vice-chancellor.

However, Dr Vipin who is the Dean of Physics has headed the very sub-committee that looked into the scuffle between members of Ambedkar Students Association and ABVP students. Students expressed dismay over the sudden development and said they can not welcome Dr Vipin who has played a crucial role in the suspension of the students.

“We are shocked to note that Prof Vipin will be the in charge. It is like the outgoing vice-chancellor has taken



a revenge on us. There are many more senior professors in UoH”, Devi Prasad a Sociology Research Scholar who is on indefinite fast said.

On the other hand the in charge vice-chancellor reacting on his additional responsibility has said that  the rules of the university stipulates the senior most professor to take over whenever the vice-chancellor is out on leave even for a short while. “It is my responsibility now as the vice-chancellor is on leave,” Vipin told the media. He said his first responsibility will be to speak to his colleagues, the dean and the members of executive committee about the ways to establish a line of communication with the agitating students.

“The scholarships, salaries of class 4 employees, research and experiments in laboratories are all in suspended animation and we have to set the wheel rolling. We have to create a conducive atmosphere in the campus for the judicial probe on circumstances that led to Rohith’s suicide,” he added.