Hyderabad: The University of Hyderabad on Wednesday appointed two pro-vice chancellors, Prof Vipin Srivastava as pro-VC 1 and Prof B.P. Sanjay as pro-VC 2. The decision was taken during the Executive Council meeting on Tuesday. The SC/ST faculty forum condemned the move, calling it “casteist”.
Earlier this year, when UoH VC Prof Appa Rao Podile went on leave after Rohith Vemula’s suicide, Prof Vipin Srivastava was appointed interim VC. The decision saw massive protests from students and faculty members because of the suicide of Senthil Kumar — a dalit PhD scholar from the Physics department in 2008. Prof Srivastava was dean of the department at the time.
The SC ST Faculty Forum said, “In the current environment of hostility of the administration towards concerns of Dalit students and faculty, appointment of Prof Srivastava as Pro-Vice Chancellor-1 yet again underscores the complete lack of empathy. It confirms the fears of Dalit faculty that their voices are being ignored.”
