BackIIT-Bombay chairman Anil Kakodkar persuaded to withdraw resignation
However, Kakodkar has declined a government request to extend his tenure by a year after it ends in May
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The human resource development (HRD) ministry on Wednesday said that it has persuaded renowned scientist Anil Kakodkar to withdraw his resignation from the post of chairman at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
Kakodkar, however, has declined a government request to extend his tenure by a year after it ends in May, two ministry officials said, declining to be identified.
Kakodkar’s resignation had stirred a controversy as the HRD ministry was seen at loggerheads with IITs over the past several months—first over the jurisdiction of certain courses being offered by IITs, and then whether the University Grants Commission’s permission was required to offer certain courses at these top engineering schools.
Higher education secretary S.N. Mohanty wrote a letter to Kakodkar earlier on Wednesday in which he said that the ministry has received the latter’s resignation letter but it has “not been accepted at the government level". “I understand that the HRM (human resource minister Smriti Irani) has talked to you on telephone in the meantime and requested you to withdraw your resignation. I’m glad that you have graciously accepted the withdrawal of your resignation letter because the institution stands to gain with your continuance and all of us are proud of your contribution to the institution. It is always a pleasure to see the right person leading an apex institution like IIT Mumbai," the secretary said in the letter.
Kakodkar had sent his resignation to the ministry on 12 March following differences with the ministry over the selection of directors to three new IITs, including those at Bhubaneswar and Ropar. Kakodkar is part of a selection committee that was entrusted with the job to hire directors. Initially, 30 members were selected and later 12 of them were short-listed, but some officials in the ministry argue that the list did not include a few names that the ministry considered as good candidates. Irani also sits in the selection meeting for short-listing the IIT directors.
One of two ministry officials cited above said that Kakodkar has agreed to continue as the chairman, board of governors at IIT-Bombay, till the end of his tenure in May. The official said the selection process for shortlisting the directors will start afresh and Kakodkar will be there to attend the meeting this weekend. Kakodkar didn’t respond to phone calls and text messages seeking comment. The official declined to be named.
Kakodkar was not the only person to have had serious differences with the ministry. In the second week of March, additional secretary (technical education) Amarjeet Sinha was relieved of his responsibility over some appointments to IITs and IIMs. The ministry termed it as a routine reshuffle of portfolios.
Meanwhile, the HRD ministry seems to have decided to relieve IIT Delhi director R.K. Shevgaonkar after his notice period ends on 21 March. Another ministry official said the IIT-Delhi board had written to the ministry to decide on Shevgaonkar as he is not keen to continue. Shevgaonkar resigned in December after the ministry accused him of exceeding his brief in setting up a research campus in Mauritius and grant them degrees. IIT- Delhi had sent the ministry a detailed clarification that the previous government had allowed it to proceed with the plan and the institute has not broken rules, Mint had reported on 30 December.
“Prof. Shevgaonkar perhaps feels that the ministry lacks confidence in him and there is no point continuing and his resignation letter in December should be treated as the beginning of a notice period," said an IIT-Delhi official.
India signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with Mauritius to help it open an International Institute of Technology Research Academy (IIT RA) during former HRD minister M.M. Pallam Raju’s visit to the country in November 2013.
“The first MoU is between IIT Delhi and Mauritius Research Council for setting up an International Institute of Technology Research Academy. The aim of the IITRA is to provide world-class, research-based educational platform for full-time and part-time post-graduate research leading to MS (Research) and Ph.D degrees to be awarded by IIT-Delhi in identified areas (clusters)," according to an HRD ministry statement dated 21 November 2013.
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