New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) The Education Ministry on Saturday directed Delhi University to take strict action against PC Jha after he wrote to it defending the recent appointments by Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, though the ministry had termed them "not valid".

Jha was appointed by Tyagi as 'acting registrar' amid an ongoing turf war between with Pro Vice-Chancellor P C Joshi, who had notified the appointment of Vikas Gupta as the new registrar.

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"The Ministry is in receipt of a letter from one PC Jha claiming to be Registrar of the university. It is requested to ascertain who is this person and if he turns out to be an employee of DU, then strict action as per DU Act 1922 be undertaken," the Ministry said.

The controversy erupted on Thursday when Tyagi removed Joshi as Pro-VC and appointed Geeta Bhatt, director of the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board of the university, in his place.

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Joshi had, meanwhile, notified the appointment of registrar Vikas Gupta, whose interview had been completed and appointment cleared by the executive council on Wednesday.

However, the same day, Tyagi approved and notified the appointment of P C Jha as acting registrar and director of the South Campus.

Intervening in the row between Tyagi and Joshi on Thursday night, the ministry had said appointments made by Tyagi are "not valid" as he is on leave.

The ministry's letter was addressed to Vikas Dutta referring to him as the Registrar. However, Jha responded to the letter.

Jha informed the Education Ministry that recent decisions on crucial appointments taken by Vice-Chancellor Tyagi comply with varsity norms.

In his letter to the university registrar on Thursday, Birendra Kumar Singh, deputy secretary in the Education Ministry, wrote that "orders issued by Vice-Chancellor during the period of absence on medical ground without joining the office properly and officially is not valid and should not be acted upon by the university functionary".

In future, if the vice-chancellor wants to join office, a proper medical fitness certificate issued by a competent authority who treated him should be obtained, he said.

"Pro VC P C Joshi will be acting as Vice-Chancellor during the period and all orders should be issued under the statues with his approval," Singh had said.

The ministry is also contemplating action against VC Tyagi including setting up an inquiry against him and sending him on leave, according to sources.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)