Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has terminated the services of an assistant professor of Sociology after an inquiry committee set up by the university found him guilty of sexually harassing a Bangladeshi scholar.
The decision was taken Monday at an emergent meeting of the university’s Executive Council (EC), reports Indian state-run news agency PTI.
In August, he was suspended, when the matter came to the fore.
“A research scholar from Bangladesh, who was working under the supervision of the professor, had alleged that she was sexually abused by him. Subsequently, an inquiry was instituted by the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH),” said an official source.
“The GSCASH found him guilty and recommended action against him, following which the EC meet was called to take a call on the issue. The EC decided to terminate his services with immediate effect,” added the source.
Attempts to reach the professor failed as his phone was switched off.
Recently, Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani had informed the Lok Sabha that 25 cases of sexual harassment were reported from JNU in 2013-2014.
This is the highest among 104 higher education institutions, according to University Grants Commission (UGC) data.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) had also said JNU had the highest number of sexual harassment cases.
While critics had seen this as a case of rising instances of harassment on campus, GSCASH representatives had argued that it was a result of JNU “encouraging” the registration of such cases.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
