NAAC Chairman resigns to safeguard self-respect and sanctity of post

On February 28, Patwardhan questioned accreditation processes and expressed a desire to resign soon, after which UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar appointed former AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe to the post on March 3. NAAC is an autonomous body under the UGC that assesses and certifies higher educational institutions with gradings as part of accreditation.

NAAC Chairman resigns to safeguard self-respect and the sanctity of the post

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Chairperson Bhushan Patwardhan has resigned from his post days after he had alleged in a letter to the University Grants Commission (UGC) that varsities have been obtaining questionable grades through unfair means.

On February 28, Patwardhan questioned accreditation processes and expressed a desire to resign soon, after which UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar appointed former AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe to the post on March 3. NAAC is an autonomous body under the UGC that assesses and certifies higher educational institutions with gradings as part of accreditation.

Patwardhan in his resignation letter wrote that he had “nothing personal in this matter” and was aiming to “safeguard the sanctity” of the post to which he was appointed in February 2022.

“After careful reconsideration of the entire subject, I hereby resign from the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee, NAAC, Bengaluru in the larger interest of the UGC, NAAC, and Indian higher education system with immediate effect i.e. on Monday, March 6, 2023 forenoon. I wish to reiterate that I had nothing personal in this matter but it was an act to safeguard self-respect and the sanctity of the post of Chairman EC and the NAAC,” Patwardhan wrote in his resignation letter.

He had earlier also opposed the appointment of Sahasrabudhe in his place, saying it was done without informing him. On March 4, he had written separately to Kumar, saying the UGC had misinterpreted his intent to resign on February 26 as a letter of resignation. “Prima facie, this hasty action shows a sorry state of administrative affairs and misuse of powers at UGC and NAAC,” he had written.

“In view of the above, I take this opportunity sincerely to make an appeal to the Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, to institute a thorough independent inquiry in this regard and book those who are responsible for this serious lapse on their part, in the interest of justice to protect my individual rights, dignity, and sanctity of UGC, NAAC, and Higher Educational Institutions in the country,” he had written in the letter to Kumar on March 4, as reported by Indian Express.

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