HC verdict casts shadow on appointment of IIT directors

With the Madras High Court setting aside the appointment of MS Ananth, the director of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, the directors at other IITs fear it could lead to cancellation of their appointments as well.

The Madras HC on Tuesday heard a petition challenging Ananth’s appointment as the director of IIT-Madras for a second term. E Muralidharan, an alumnus of the institute, filed the petition. Ananth has resigned and S Srinivasa Murthy has been appointed acting director of IIT Madras.

Going by the rule book, the appointment of directors is to be approved by the IIT council, which is the highest decision-making body of the IITs chaired by Union Human Resource Development (MHRD) Minister Arjun Singh.

Meanwhile, Devang Khakhar has been appointed the new director of IIT Bombay. He will take charge from January 1.

The directors, however, agreed that the MHRD has always invited applications for the post of director(s). They are worried that if the issue goes beyond IIT Madras, it could challenges the appointments of other directors, too.

“If the high court verdict is upheld, the appointment of all the directors will have to be cancelled. As far as I remember, all the appointments since 1962 have been made without consulting the IIT council. Usually the minister decides on who will be the director and an order is passed on the same,” said an IIT director on the condition of anonymity.

Section 17(1) of the IIT Act, 1961, suggests that director of each institute shall be appointed by the council with prior approval from the Visitor (the President of India).

According to the directors, the council has not met even once in the past five years. The council has a standing committee, which meets at least thrice a year and takes other relevant decisions relating to the IITs.

“I am not sure if this verdict applies to appointments of all the directors, but it certainly could raise questions on their appointments as well. If the matter gets complicated, it could throw the day-to-day working of the IITs out of gear with suspension of other directors,” added another IIT director prefering anonymity.

The HRD officials could not be reached for comment on account of Thursday being a public holiday.