Professor Devinder Preet Singh of the HS Judge Institute of Dental Studies and Hospital was sacked by the senate of the Panjab University (PU) on November 3. The decision of the senate was unanimous after the professor had pleaded guilty of sexual misconduct. A formal complaint against the professor was made in March 2018, which was followed by 15 more complaints that were made anonymously.
In addition, the senate also invoked its most stringent punishment clause of “dismissal from service of the university without option of future employment” against the professor. The orthodontics professor was accused of sending improper photos and text messages to his students. He was also accused of physically harassing a student.
The senate also made recommendations that every college have an anti-sexual harassment panel. A senate member, Pam Rajput noted, “Every college should have its own anti-sexual harassment panel as per the rules of the Act (Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013). The university must send directions to all its affiliated colleges and regional centres.”
In this case, the senate had convened after the Panjab University Committee Against Sexual Harassment (PUCASH) had submitted its report on the complaints made. Observing that PUCASH had sent its report nearly five months prior to the senate hearing, Rajput added, “It took five months after the PUCASH submitted its report to take this decision. In my opinion, it should take 30 days to resolve such matters, for which I suggest that a senate meeting should be called immediately after PUCASH submits a report.”
The students of HS Judge College were happy with the decision taken. Harasees Chahal, a candidate who had contested in the college’s student council election for the vice-president’s post said, “I am glad that it is exemplary of our intolerance to such misdeeds and proud of all the complainants for the strength and will they have displayed throughout.”
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This was the second dismissal in the Panjab University this year. Earlier, Komal Singh, an assistant professor in the department of public administration was also removed after being found guilty of sexual harassment. But after a few of the Panjab University senators opposed the decision, his dismissal was revoked and he received a demotion instead.
This is the second #MeToo incident where college professors have been penalized for inappropriate conduct. Earlier, on October 5, a faculty member of the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad was also removed from his position.