Gujarat Vidyapith sacks teacher over harassment charges

A vocational training teacher at Gujarat Vidyapith here, a deemed university founded by Mahatma Gandhi, has been sacked following a complaint of sexual harassment by a woman student.

"The Woman Development Committee of the Vidyapith found merit in the allegations against this teacher, so we have removed him from service," said registrar of the varsity Rajendra Khimani.

A student of a post-graduate course at Mahadev Desai Samajseva Mahavidyalay, which is situated on the Vidyapith campus here, had filed a complaint against the male teacher four days ago.

The woman, who lives in the varsity's hostel, alleged that the teacher often touched her inappropriately and sexually harassed her.

"We recorded statements of the woman as well as the teacher. We found the incident did take place. Even the teacher admitted to it," said Anandi Patel, head of the committee.

Gujarat Vidyapith was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. It was given status of a deemed university in 1953.