Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has dismissed Professor Swarn Singh, a senior faculty member Professor Swarn Singh due to serious sexual harassment allegations. The case came to light when an official of the Japanese Embassy complained against him during a university program.
The victim has now returned to Japan. He had formally filed his complaint, which was later sent to the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India and the JNU administration. The university administration took this complaint seriously and formed a committee and conducted a detailed investigation into the matter.
Confirming the decision, JNU Vice Chancellor Pantishree Dhulipudi Pandit said, “We adopt a policy of zero tolerance in cases of sexual harassment, corruption and exploitation. This dismissal shows our commitment to keep the university campus safe and accountable.”
The inquiry committee gave both the parties full opportunity to present their case and present the witness. A senior faculty member said on the condition of anonymity that the incident took place in May 2024 and the investigation process was going on since then.
Professor Swarn Singh has been dismissed. The Singh was a member of the Center for International Politics, Organization and Disorder at the School of International Studies. Singh was associated with JNU for a long time. He has posted an MA in Political Science from Delhi University, PhD from JNU and a struggle solution from Upsala University in Sweden.
Their research fields have included topics such as arms control, peace studies and India’s defense-atomic policy. He was teaching in JNU since 2001 and has also played the role of Chief Vigilance Officer in the university from 2012 to 2014.
Earlier, Singh served as a research faculty member at the Institute of Defense Studies and Analysis (IDSA) in New Delhi from 1992 to 2001. Swarn Singh also played several roles in 2006, including the President of the Association of Asian Studies and the General Secretary of the Indian Congress of Asian and Pacific Studies in 2008.
According to the JNU administration, this was not the only incident. Several complaints had been filed against Professor Singh earlier. Earlier, the university also dismissed another faculty member of the Department of Environmental Sciences on charges of corruption in a research project. The case was later investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Apart from this, other faculty members have also faced disciplinary actions. These include steps such as preventing increment, issuing condemnation letters and sensitization training.
This type of strict action in JNU is an indication that the institute is now serious about professional and moral standards with zero tolerance policy. This initiative of the university is considered an important step towards ensuring the safety and dignity of women in higher education institutions.
