09 November 2024 | Ambedkar University Delhi Faculty Association (AUDFA)

Ambedkar University Delhi Faculty Association (AUDFA) strongly condemns the decision of the Board of Management (BOM) and University administration to remove from service two of our esteemed colleagues, Professor Salil Misra and Professor Asmita Kabra. These two senior colleagues have been made scapegoats for acting in their administrative capacities (as Pro VC and acting Registrar respectively), in helping implement a policy decision duly approved in 2018 by the BOM of AUD for one-time absorption of contractual non-teaching staff.

Both Prof. Salil Misra and Asmita Kabra are globally reputed academics. However, they have been targeted unfairly since 2019 through repeated inquiries. The pendency of inquiries was used to deny them important opportunities for career progression. They have suffered immense trauma, mental harassment, and the financial burden of litigation and legal defence for five years.

They took on administrative responsibilities and discharged them with complete honesty and dedication, with the sole purpose of helping all university stakeholders. Both colleagues were neither responsible for initiating nor approving the said one-time absorption policy. The policy resulted from collective decision-making following due process. The university’s highest decision-making body, the BOM, passed the policy for regularisation/ absorption in 2018. The policy was implemented as directed by the BOM. The Directorate of Higher Education had the full facts of the case long before the final offer letters of appointment were issued.

A subsequent BOM meeting, under the chairpersonship of a new Vice Chancellor, overturned the policy in 2020 under orders of the DHE. Ever since efforts have been made to attribute the onus of this collective decision to two professors who were former members of the Board.

As AUDFA, we unequivocally support Prof. Salil Misra and Prof. Asmita Kabra.

We affirm that they acted responsibly as AUD management, implementing a duly approved university policy which we believe was substantively equitable and fair.

We assert that all their decisions were endorsed by the highest university authorities, and consequently to hold them individually liable and punish them reeks of vendetta and bias.

We contend, without prejudice, that even if the BOM endorsed the findings of the final inquiry, the penalty - Removal from Service with the loss of all benefits –is grossly disproportionate and extreme for acts that were carried out in good faith and with no mala fide intent.

We believe that this disproportionate and draconian penalty will serve as a terrible precedent for all faculty colleagues across the country and have a chilling effect on all faculty endeavours.

We therefore demand that the current management immediately take back this draconian decision to remove them from service. Prof. Salil is due to retire in nine months, while Prof Asmita Kabra has many years to complete her tenure. Both are remarkable scholars, academicians and professionals of impeccable integrity and dignity in their own right. We stand with our colleagues who are facing this grievous injustice. We see this as a strong infringement of all our rights as workers in the university system. We also see this as an attack against our colleagues' human rights and dignity. This unjustified and vindictive action results from a biased inquiry at the behest of the current AUD management.

We seek solidarity from various faculty associations and academic forums, as this decision sets a dangerous precedent for academic institutions in India.

On Behalf of AUDFA, 

Dr Kanwal Anil - President

Prof Gopalji Pradhan - Vice President

Dr Dhiraj Kumar Nite  - Secretary

Dr Teena Anil - Jt Secretary 

Dr Mamatha Karollil - Treasurer

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