Ashoka University accepted economics professor’s resignation after “extensive efforts to dissuade him”: VC

NEW DELHI: Ashoka University has confirmed that economics assistant professor Sabyasachi Das, whose paper suggesting voter manipulation in 2019 elections sparked a controversy, has resigned from his post. The university vice-chancellor Somak Raychaudhury said that the university has accepted his resignation “after making extensive efforts to dissuade him.”

“Dr. Das is currently on leave from Ashoka, serving as visiting faculty at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (Deemed to be University) in Pune. After making extensive efforts to dissuade him, the University has accepted his resignation,” the VC said in an official statement published on the university website.

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The VC argued that professor Das’s research paper titled “Democratic Backsliding in the World’s Largest Democracy” where he suggested manipulation by the winning party which was the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came under controversy after it was shared on social media. The VC said that many perceived it to reflect the views of the university. Though, the university had distanced itself from the research paper and expressed dismay over the debate started around it.

The university head explained that the faculty members are free to teach and carry out research in the area of their interest. “The University affords its faculty and students what it believes is the most enabling environment for academic freedom at an institution of higher education in the country,” he added. The university does not “direct or moderate” the research conducted by its professors and students. According to the VC, this academic freedom was also given to professor Das.

“Ashoka’s commitment to excellence in both research and teaching is at the core of the recognition it has achieved in less than a decade, and will continue to be its guide in the journey towards becoming India’s finest university,” VC Somak Raychaudhury defended.