Tech institute head shown the door for plagiarism
The Director of Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology (NSIT) — Delhi’s premier engineering institute — resigned on Wednesday.
The Director of Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology (NSIT) — Delhi’s premier engineering institute — resigned on Wednesday.
Dr Ranjit Singh was asked to step down from the post of Director on grounds of plagiarism and complaints of many financial irregularities in the institute.
“The Board of Governors (BoG) met on Tuesday and asked him to resign. His resignation was accepted today and he has been given a month’s notice,” said highly placed sources in the institute.
Chairman BoG Prof P.V. Indirasen confirmed the news.
“The BoG has accepted his resignation,” said Indirasen. However, he did not specify the grounds on which Singh was asked to resign.
HT has on August 4 reported that Singh had many charges of plagiarism against him.
He had also been investigated by the Society for Scientific Values (SSV), an organisation dedicated to detecting scientific fraud.
“We had been pushing the BoG to take action against Singh. You cannot plagiaries papers to become a Director or a Vice Chancellor,” said Dr KL Chopra, president of SSV and former director of IIT Khadagpur.
He added that teachers and students had been calling up to thank him for pursuing the case.
“I cannot comment for the entire fraternity but I am sure most teachers will be relieved that one corrupt person is finally going,” said a professor on conditions of anonymity.
He added that NSIT had seen constant decline for the last four years.
“One kept hearing of financial irregularities in purchase of computers and lab equipment. Unfair appointments were also made and we could not speak out against it,” he said.
The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) welcomed the BoG decision. “A premier institution like NSIT deserves a good head,” said Aditya Narayan Misra, president, DUTA. Singh refused to talk to HT.