TISS VC Badri Narayan Tiwari's appointment under scrutiny after RJD MP's objection

Professor Badri Narayan Tiwari, who was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) on July 30, has found himself in the middle of a controversy, with a sitting Member of Parliament demanding that his appointment be revoked since it violates statutory rules, as a complaint against him is pending at the National Commission of Backward Classes (NCBC).

Objections have also been raised about how he was able to secure a vigilance clearance certificate, given the pending complaint, mandatory for the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor.

Interestingly, Badri Narayan Tiwari, known for his work on Dalits and caste, has reportedly shifted his focus, with his latest book being Republic of Hindutva: How the Sangh Is Reshaping Indian Democracy, reflecting this change.

What is the complaint?

The pending complaint against Badri, a historian and cultural anthropologist, dates back to 2021, when he was the Director of the G B Pant Social Science Institute (GBPSSI) in Allahabad. Two law students – Mayank Yadav from TISS and Vivek Raj from Delhi University (DU) – had filed a complaint against GBPSSI and the then director (Badri) regarding alleged irregularities in the appointment of teaching posts. They alleged that the OBC (Other Backward Classes) posts were kept vacant under the NFS (None Found Suitable) category for recruitment at the level of assistant professor, associate professor and professor.

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They alleged that “the whole process of selection and appointments is malicious, blatantly irregular, full of bias against the OBCs, illegal and the against of DoPT (Department of Personnel and Training) rule and Constitutional mandate of reservation”.

'This is nothing, but a joke'

“This is nothing but a joke that the institute could not find any suitable candidate from the OBCs, on one side the government is directing that the teaching posts in educational institutions be fulfilled as soon as possible, and on the other, seats are made vacant. This NFS system is nothing but a tool to remain the OBCs seats vacant (sic),” the duo wrote in their complaint dated December 7, 2021.

Following this, the NCBC – a quasi-judicial body – wrote to the Director/Chairman of GBPSSI on December 8, 2021, stating that it would investigate the matter and requesting various documents related to the matter. On December 21, the same year, the Commission again wrote to Badri, asking him to “appear in person” for a hearing scheduled on December 23 with the NCBC chairperson.

According to the complainants, the case remains open, with no closure report having been issued.

At the time, Badri had told the OBC seats remaining vacant was an “unfortunate coincidence” and was “not our intention”.

RJD MP writes letter to President

It was in this context that context that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sudhakar Singh wrote a strongly worded letter to the Union Education Minister and the President of India, expressing alarm at Badri’s appointment.

Citing the file number of the complaint, Sudhakar wrote to the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, on August 1, saying, “One of the most important questions related to this matter is: How was Prof Badri Narayan Tiwari appointed Vice-Chancellor of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) despite serious allegations previously filed against him when he was associated with G.B. Pant Institute?”

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“Therefore, the appointment should be immediately revoked, and an inquiry into the allegations against him should be conducted at the appropriate level. I trust the Ministry will take the seriousness of this matter into consideration and take necessary action accordingly,” he said.

Sudhakar sent the same letter to the President on August 4 and issued another letter to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment the same day, asking for the Minutes of the Meeting of the NCBC held on December 23, 2021.

“A moral person cannot have the audacity to appoint a person like this (against whom there is a serious complaint) to such a high position; only an immoral person would do such a thing. TISS is a very prestigious institute. His (Badri’s) behaviour is not in line with the glorious tradition of the institution,” Sudhakar told The Federal.

What the complianant says

Vivek Raj, one of the complainants, also told The Federal that the complaint was still pending with the NCBC. “We have filed RTIs, but they’re refusing to give us the minutes of the meeting. Instead, now people like him (Badri) are being elevated to top posts,” he said.

Experts question vigilance clearance

Experts have also raised questions about Badri securing vigilance clearance. An official email from the institute’s Registrar to shortlisted candidates for the Vice-Chancellor post required them to bring both a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and vigilance clearance to the final interview.

Badri Narayan Tiwari’s work has largely focused on Dalits and caste, although, according to some, there has been a shift in his writings in recent times

“Appointments to high public offices like Vice-Chancellors in central universities are not just administrative decisions; they involve procedures backed by law, vigilance clearances, and transparent selection processes. If these have been bypassed or manipulated, it amounts to more than just an internal issue — it challenges the very legality and legitimacy of the process, which makes it a constitutional matter. If facts were suppressed about pending inquiry in National Commission for Backward Classes by BN Tiwari, that is also a grave violation and if known and a clean chit is not obtained then TISS administration is at fault. Both ways, the appointment is illegal,” sources said.

Timing also under scanner?

The timing of Badri’s appointment has also attracted scrutiny. The final interview for the selection of VC took place on December 15, 2024, said sources and the names of three shortlisted candidates were sent to the Ministry. There was no progress on it until seven months later, when three developments took place on the same day: July 30. Badri’s relieving letter was issued by GBPSSI, the Ministry released its formal appointment order, and TISS announced he had assumed charge.

“How was it administratively possible for a central ministry appointment order, a relieving from a previous institution, travel, and assumption of charge in Mumbai to all occur on the same date? How and why did this particular appointment process unfold with such immediacy? This could suggest a lack of procedural transparency,” sources told The Federal.

Shift in writing?

VC Badri Narayan Tiwari and NCBC Chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir did not respond to emails, calls or text messages.

Badri Narayan Tiwari’s work has largely focused on Dalits and caste, although, according to some, there has been a shift in his writings in recent times. His latest book is titled ‘Republic of Hindutva: How the Sangh Is Reshaping Indian Democracy’, published in 2021.

As reported by The Federal on July 22, the period before Badri’s appointment as VC saw irregular administrative reshuffles at TISS that fed into suspicions of deliberate groundwork for the appointment, when three deans, seen as anti-establishment, were abruptly removed mid-tenure.