NEW DELHI: The Vice Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) on Sunday issued orders to reinstate Professor Nazim Hussain Jafri as the head of the department of History and Culture, three months after he had himself removed Professor Jafri from this post.
Following his removal, Professor Jafri filed a petition in the High Court, which subsequently directed the university to reinstate him with immediate effect.
On December 24, 2024, the Vice Chancellor, exercising his powers, appointed Professor Preeti Sharma as the Head of the Department of History and Culture, Faculty of Humanities and Languages, JMI, effective the same day, for a term of three years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Earlier, on August 28, the then officiating Vice Chancellor had appointed Professor Nazim Hussain Jafri as Head of the Department, effective from September 11, 2024, until he attained the age of 65 years or until further orders.
Professor Jafri has been in news since April 2024 when he was removed as an officiating Registrar of Jamia when the former officiating Vice Chancellor Eqbal Hussain had appointed another officiating Registrar after removing Professor Jafri who was also holding the interim charge at that time.
Professor Jafri was holding the charge of the officiating registrar under the Vice Chancellorship of Najma Akhtar.
In 2022, a petition had challenged the entire decision making process culminating in the selection and appointment of Nazim Hussain Al-Jafri as a Professor in the Department of History and Culture in JMI on the ground that it was done in flagrant violation or contravention and total non-compliance of the Statute of the Jamia Millia Islamia Act, read with clauses of the UGC Regulations. Hussain was also assigned additional responsibilities of Registrar in JMI that time.
However the Delhi High Court had dismissed a plea challenging the appointment of a professor in the Department of History and Culture at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), saying no case was made out.
On January 20, 2022, the Vice Chancellor had unilaterally appointed Hussain to the post of Professor in the Department of History and Culture.