Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has appointed Professor Poonam Tandon of Lucknow University as the new Vice-Chancellor of Deen Dayal Upadhyay University in Gorakhpur. She will assume the charge as the new Vice-Chancellor of Gorakhpur University for a period of three years.
The tenure of VC Rajesh Singh is scheduled to end on September 4, 2023. Last month, protests at the DDU Gorakhpur University led to the expulsion of 18 members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for reportedly assaulting the VC.
The university students protested on July 21 on various issues including tuition increases, erratic exam schedules, difficulties faced by research scholars, and hostel assignment. The situation had gotten out of hand by the time the VC and other authorities left their office to address the students, with some students allegedly assaulting Singh and the other officials and damaging the VC's office. On social media, a video of the incident went viral.
Later, the university expelled 18 students and banned six outsiders from entering the campus. All those who faced action are members of the RSS' student wing ABVP and were part of the protest that turned violent on July 21.
Meanwhile, the governor has also appointed Professor Vandana Singh of Allahabad University, Prayagraj as the VC of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur. Professor Vandana Singh has been appointed for a period of three years from the date of assuming charge, the statement added.
(With PTI Inputs)
