Professor Neeraj Hatekar taking a class on the road outside the Mumbai university campus
After two weeks of outrage and protests, the university of Mumbai has revoked the suspension of economics professor Dr Neeraj Hatekar. The decision was taken at 3 am last night after a nine-hour meeting by the university's top management.
The professor was suspended on January 4 after he went public against Vice Chancellor Rajan Welukar and blamed him for the downslide in the university's academic status. The university accused him of "misconduct and moral turpitude." Dr Hatekar had petitioned the Bombay High Court against the "arbitrary and illegal" suspension order.
Dr Hatekar's students have been protesting vehemently against his suspension, alleging the teacher was punished without being given a chance to defend himself. This week, the professor, a teacher of game theory and microeconomics, took his classes on the road outside the university. (
Read Professor Hatekar's blog)
The university today said that Dr Hatekar was being reinstated in the interest of the students, and due to the wide public demand. However, the charges against him have not been dropped and the matter will now be investigated by a former judge.
The university's decision came after the university Chancellor and Maharashtra Governor met Vice Chancellor Rajan Welukar and reportedly asked him to review the suspension order.
Dr Hatekar had alleged that a politically-backed kitchen cabinet runs the university. "When Mr Welukar joined, the university was ranked 96, now it is 150," he had said last week.