Chandigarh: DAV asst professor sacked over sexual harassment charges
Internal probe by college indicts botany teacher of sexually harassing female students; first such dismissal of a teacher at any UT college
The management committee of DAV College, Sector 10, has dismissed botany assistant professor Uday Bhan Singh after allegations of sexual harassment by at least five female students, including a minor.
As per officials, this is the first such dismissal of a teacher at any Chandigarh college.
A letter issued by the general secretary-cum-member of the management committee — the governing body of the college — announced the teacher’s sacking and ordered that all his benefits be forfeited.
The college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, had conducted a detailed probe into the students’ complaint, filed on September 12, 2024.
Submitting a report on December 21, 2024, the committee had found the allegations of sexual harassment meted upon the young female students duly proved.
A Sole Hearing Committee, headed by justice Pritam Paul (retd) also reviewed the matter and accorded personal hearing to Singh.
Submitting a report to the governing body on September 12, justice Paul upheld the ICC’s findings. After examining this report on September 23, the governing body dismissed the assistant professor from service.
Complaints considered at length: Probe panel
The letter noted that complaints of the female students, including a minor, had been considered at length, including the fact that he had been indulging in such “derogatory” and “reprehensible” conduct for a long period, till July 2024.
It was noticed by the governing body that even a few days prior to the receipt of the complaint in September 2024, he had been found guilty of sending offensive, suggestive, obscene and vulgar messages to girl students, despite being their teacher and mentor as NSS coordinator.
The governing body also examined the screenshots of WhatsApp messages sent by him to the complainants after taking affidavits from students.
Would text late at night, ask students to install apps which can clear chat history
The ICC report noted that the teacher sent inappropriate messages to the complainants via WhatsApp and other social media apps. The messages were exchanged late at night, going beyond 1 am, not related to NSS or college work.
ln these messages, he often asked questions of personal nature. In one or two instances, he also invited the complainants to meet him “outside”. He asked them to join him on apps like Telegram and Snapchat, in which the chat history of both parties can be cleared.
The ICC further found that he passed remarks commenting on physical traits, dressing style and personal choices related to the students. Further, he tried to control their interactions with the opposite gender and offered preferential treatment to students if they complied with meeting him alone. If they refused to toe the line, he humiliated and intimidated the students. Some complainants even left the NSS due to his behaviour.
The governing body also noted that even in the proceedings before the ICC, he left no stone unturned in attempting to unravel the identity of the girl students who complained against him.
While five students have come forward, the body noted that there may have been even more victims. They also observed that some of the victims were hostellers.
While Singh remained unavailable for a comment, he has filed an appeal in a local court against the ICC probe. The matter was first heard on September 4 and the next hearing is scheduled on September 25 (Thursday).
A UT higher education official confirmed that the department will not intervene in the matter, as such decisions fall under the college management’s prerogative. The committee may also file a police complaint to register an FIR against Singh.
