Govt Accepts Resignation of Scapegoated IIPS Director After Revoking His Suspension for Unflattering NFHS Data
Banjot Kaur | 16 October 2023 | The Wire
New Delhi: The Union health and family welfare ministry has accepted the resignation of K.S. James as the director of the International Institute of Population Sciences (IIPS), which is responsible for preparing the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).
The health ministry had suspended James on July 28, 2023, apparently because it was ‘unhappy with data sets’ in NFHS-5. His suspension was formally revoked last week, only for his resignation – submitted in August – to be accepted hours later.
Copies of the orders revoking his suspension and accepting the resignation are available with The Wire.
“The competent authority, on subsequent review, is of the opinion that in view of material changes in the circumstances, the suspension of Prof. K. S. James may not be extended further,” said the order of the Union health ministry dated October 11, 2023.