Who Is Swaran Singh And What Led To His Dismissal From JNU

Swaran Singh, a senior faculty member at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), was fired due to claims of sexual harassment involving a Japanese Embassy officer. Following a thorough internal investigation, the university's Executive Council, which is the highest statutory authority, decided to fire Singh, a professor at the School of International Studies.

Singh has been fired from his position without pay, a JNU official told Hindustan Times under condition of anonymity. The official attested that the case was thoroughly investigated and that the accusations were connected to the sexual harassment of a Japanese embassy staffer.

According to a senior faculty member who also asked to remain anonymous, the incident happened in May of last year. Both the accused and the complainant were given the chance to call witnesses during the "intense" investigation. According to reports, the committee discovered audio recordings and other important evidence against Singh.

Who is Swaran Singh?

Swaran Singh taught at the School of International Studies' Centre for International Politics, Organization & Disarmament, according to the JNU website.

He finished his PhD in International Studies at JNU after earning a Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Delhi. Singh also graduated from Uppsala, Sweden, with a post-doctoral diploma in conflict resolution.

His specialties include peace studies, conflict resolution, arms control and disarmament, and India's nuclear and defense programs.

In 2001, Singh became a member of JNU's School of International Studies. Before that, from 1992 to 2001, he served as a research faculty member at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (IDSA), located in New Delhi.

He has served in several capacities over the years, such as General Secretary of the Indian Congress of Asian & Pacific Studies (2008) and President of the Association of Asian Studies (2006). From 2012 to 2014, he also held the position of Chief Vigilance Officer at JNU.

Extra JNU Disciplinary Measures

Another Environmental Science Department faculty member was fired in a different case on suspicion of corruption involving a research project. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now been tasked with investigating the case.

A fact-finding committee's conclusions about the same research project also led to the termination of two non-teaching staff members.

Other faculty members have also faced a variety of sanctions from the university in various instances, such as required sensitization training, official censure, and the withholding of wage increases.