Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Monday termed the removal of noted economist Ajit Ranade as vice chancellor of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics demoralising and asked the Shiv Sena-led state government to raise the issue with the Centre.
Thackeray also ridiculed the authorities for citing a lack of 10 years of teaching experience for Ranade’s removal. It is wrong to humiliate a highly-educated person like Dr Ranade in this manner, he said. “Is this the New Education Policy,” he added.
Ranade was removed on Saturday, ending months of controversy over his appointment after claims that he did not fulfil eligibility criteria related to teaching experience. The Pune-based institute is one of India’s oldest economics research and training institutes.
The removal came after a fact-finding panel appointed by Chancellor Bibek Debroy found that Ranade’s appointment does not “conform” to UGC norms. Ranade had been in the job for more than two years. The committee concluded that Ranade did not fulfil the eligibility criteria of 10 years of continuous teaching experience as a professor.
Calling his removal “unfortunate and shocking”, Ranade said in a statement, “For the past two-and-a-half years, I have been working diligently and to the best of my ability, contributing to the positive developments in the institute. These results seem to have been completely ignored.” Prior to his appointment at the institute, Ranade was group executive president and chief economist with Aditya Birla Group. He has taught in universities in India and the US and has served as a member of several RBI committees.
He was also a member of the Maharashtra Government’s task force on post-pandemic economic recovery.