The Human Resource Development Ministry was hit by yet another controversy with chairman of IIT-Bombay's board of governors and nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar resigning apparently due to differences with the Ministry over selection of some IIT directors.
Drawing flak, HRD Minister Smriti Irani denied any rift and stated that he would continue to remain in his post.
"There has been no rift or controversy. He had put in his papers but has agreed to continue after my telephonic conversation with him," Ms Irani told PTI, adding, Kakodkar will be attending the crucial meeting of the search panel on March 22 to finalise the directors for IIT-Bhubaneswar, Patna and Ropar.
"I have put down my papers because I want to move ahead," Mr Kakodkar told PTI earlier today but refused to comment on queries whether differences had cropped up between him and the minister over selection of the directors.
Mr Kakodkar's tenure was to come to an end in May this year. Sources said differences had cropped up between Mr Kakodkar and the Ministry ever since the latter decided to scrap the selection process for IIT directors held in February this year and decided to start afresh the selection process at the insistence of the Minister.
It remained unclear the procedure adopted to invite only the 12 selected candidates.
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