Summary:
However, this time, the HRD Ministry wanted to know if the “period of debarment” from administrative posts had expired or was still valid for Chakrabarty. The disciplinary action initiated by DU and the ACC’s observation was placed on record by the HRD Ministry, under Smriti Irani, while considering Chakrabarty for the V-C’s post at DU in 2015. The HRD Ministry had recommended Bidyut Chakrabarty’s name for vice-chancellorship of Visva-Bharati University even though, just three years ago, it had red-flagged the disciplinary action taken against him on charges of sexual harassment and ignored his candidature for the top job at Delhi University (DU). According to DU sources, the university administration had intimated the government of the disciplinary action taken against Chakrabarty again last month when his name was being considered for Visva-Bharati. Once DU replied in the negative, the ministry is learnt to have forwarded his name for the job..