Indore: No physical education dean for last one decade

Indore: A seniority dispute between two professors of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) has deprived Faculty of Physical Education of dean.

For past 10 years, this department is not having any dean since MI Qureshi was withdrawn from the position in 2007.  As per rules, his successor should have been made the dean but following seniority dispute between Prof Deepak Mehta and Prof SK Yadav, the position could not be filled.

The duo professors had joined the university on the same day. As the university considered Prof Mehta as senior, Yadav moved the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court and since the matter is sub-judice. “As the seniority matter is sub-judice, the DAVV has not recommended to Raj Bhawan any teacher’s name for the post of dean in the Faculty of Physical Education,” said vice chancellor Dr Narendra Dhakad. Some months ago, Mehta had given in writing to the university administration that he does not have any objection if Yadav’s name was recommended for the post of dean but the university is still not suggesting his name to the Raj Bhawan stating that it could invite legal tangle.

Interestingly, the DAVV has been appointing both the professors as head of School of Physical Education for past one decade on rotation rule despite the seniority dispute among them.  Dean is a crucial post in the university system. The dean is not only chairman of examination committee but also plays an important role in preparation and revision of syllabi of the faculty of which he is the dean.

Faculty of Law at DAVV is also not having dean for the past three years. After Prof Nirmal Pagaria’s term as dean had expired in 2013, this faculty is lacking a dean as there is no professor in law faculty across the Indore division. “Only a professor can become dean so the Faculty of Law could not have a dean until a teacher is promoted as professor or the government transfers a professor from any college in Indore division,” said a DAVV officer.