Hyderabad scholar death: HRD may sack Vice-Chancellor after panel’s report

The two-member HRD ministry fact-finding committee sent to probe Rohith Vemula’s suicide is learnt to have faulted the University of Hyderabad administration over its “inept handling” of the students’ suspension issue, that triggered unrest on the campus for four months. The committee, which returned to New Delhi on Wednesday, is likely to submit its report to the ministry by Saturday. Based on this, the ministry is likely to sack Prof. Appa Rao Podile as vice-chancellor.

The panel is said to have felt there was strong resentment against Prof. Podile among dalit students since his tenure as chief warden between 2001 and 2004. Prof. Podile’s six-year term as vice-chancellor is due to end in 2020.