Pune: Dr. Ajit Ranade Resigns as Gokhale Institute Vice-Chancellor Amid Eligibility Controversy

Pune, 4th November 2024: Dr. Ajit Ranade has resigned from his position as Vice-Chancellor of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) following a prolonged controversy regarding his eligibility for the role. He submitted his resignation letter to Dr. Sanjeev Sanyal, the current Chancellor of the institute, after the completion of court proceedings related to his appointment.

The controversy surrounding Dr. Ranade’s position emerged from allegations that he lacked the necessary qualifications for the role of Vice-Chancellor. In response, then-Chancellor Dr. Bibek Debroy appointed a fact-finding committee that recommended the cancellation of Dr. Ranade’s appointment. However, Dr. Ranade challenged this decision in court, which ultimately stayed Dr. Debroy’s action, providing relief to Dr. Ranade. Following this, Dr. Debroy resigned from his position as Chancellor.

After Dr. Sanjeev Sanyal was appointed as the new Chancellor, he informed the court of his decision to withdraw the letter of action against Dr. Ranade, effectively resolving the controversy.

In his resignation, Dr. Ranade cited personal reasons for stepping down. He expressed gratitude to the Board of Management, the Servants of India Society, faculty, staff, students, and all stakeholders for the opportunity to lead the Gokhale Institute, which he described as one of the best institutes in the country over the past two and a half years. He emphasized that his resignation does not reflect any wrongdoing or disqualification regarding his appointment as Vice-Chancellor in 2021.