1 2 3 Pune: Shankar Das , pro-vice chancellor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences , has been appointed interim vice chancellor (VC) of Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics ( GIPE ) with effect from Sept 22. GIPE chancellor Bibek Debroy said — in a letter dated Sept 15 to registrar Col Kapil Jodh — that since the senior-most professor at the institute refused to take charge, Das was appointed interim VC , an official from GIPE said. "As per UGC rules, if the pro-VC is unavailable, the chancellor shall appoint the senior-most professor who shall perform the duties of the VC, until a new VC assumes office, as the case may be," the official said, quoting the letter.
The official said Debroy in his letter had stated that the senior-most professor of GIPE should become the interim VC, and accordingly, Debroy had requested Prof Deepak Shah. Since Shah refused, Das was appointed the interim VC with effect from Sept 22, the official said. On Sept 14, GIPE removed noted economist Ajit Ranade as its VC, ending months of controversy over his appointment after claims that he did not fulfil the eligibility criteria related to teaching experience.
Pune-based GIPE is one of India's oldest economics research and training institutes. Ranade was removed from the post after the fact-finding committee appointed by GIPE chancellor Debroy found that Ranade's appointment "does not conform with the established norms set forth by the University Grants Commission (UGC)". On June 27, Ranade .