BU names new registrar, process done in just a day

The government appointing a registrar in such a hurry has raised many eyebrows

BENGALURU: The state government appointed a new Registrar (evaluation) for Bangalore University on Monday late evening.
Prof M Shankar Reddy of Zoology department was appointed in place of Prof Suresh Nadagowdar.
As per information available with Express, the process was done in a day which has raised many questions, including why the government appointed a new Registrar in such a hurry.

When Shankar Reddy’s name was first proposed by the government for the post five months ago, Vice-Chancellor Dr B Thimme Gowda requested not to appoint him.
Even in the list of five senior professors for the post asked by government, the V-C did not recommend Shankar Reddy’s name.
When Express contacted him, Thimme Gowda said, “I will not comment about this appointment.”
No inquiry yet
Shankar Reddy has also faced allegations of sexual harassment. The university is yet to conduct an inquiry or initiate action against him in this regard.

In December 2011, 17 students of Bachelor of Science (BS) course complained to the then registrar B C Mylarappa about harassment they faced from M Shankar Reddy who was then course coordinator (academic) of the BS programme.
In their complaint, the students stated, “The coordinator (academics) has misbehaved with us, which is highly intolerable. The incident created terror in the minds of students.”
After the students filed the complaint, Mylarappa sent a note to Shankar Reddy, directing him to submit his reaction or give an explanation to the university.

The notice was issued on December 12, 2011, but as per the information available from university records, till date university authorities have not received any reply from Shankar Reddy.
In the notice, Mylarappa mentioned, “The charges made by students are serious in nature which require a close scrutiny by the university administration. There is also a mention in the complaint that you being the academic coordinator have misbehaved with the students which is highly intolerable, as alleged by the students...”

A senior BU professor said, “The allegation made by students is very serious and an inquiry must be conducted, but till today no official concerned bothered to respond.”
As per university documents, students filed complaints three times but to no avail. The students who filed the complaints have now passed out from the university as well.