Bhushan Patwardhan, chairperson of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), has resigned saying he was doing so to safeguard "the sanctity of the post", days after alleging that universities were obtaining questionable grades through unfair means.

Patwardhan had first raised questions over accreditation processes and expressed a desire to resign on February 26, following which UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar appointed former AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe to the post on March 3.

Patwardhan submitted his resignation letter to University Grants Commission Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Sunday night.

"After careful reconsideration of the entire subject, I hereby resign from the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee, NAAC, Bengaluru in the larger interest of the UGC, NAAC, and Indian higher education system," he wrote.

"I wish to reiterate that I had nothing personal in this matter but it was an act to safeguard self-respect and the sanctity of the post of chairman EC and the NAAC," he added.

“After careful reconsideration of the entire subject, I hereby resign from the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee, NAAC, Bengaluru in the larger interest of the UGC, NAAC, and Indian higher education system with immediate effect i.e. on Monday, March 6, 2023 forenoon. I wish to reiterate that I had nothing personal in this matter but it was an act to safeguard self-respect and the sanctity of the post of Chairman EC and the NAAC,” Patwardhan wrote in his resignation letter.

Last week Patwardhan demanded an "independent inquiry" into UGC's move to appoint an "additional chairman without any legal authority".

In another letter to the UGC chairman last month, Patwardhan alleged that "vested interests and malpractices" were leading to some higher educational institutes obtaining "questionable grades". He also expressed his "intent to resign" in that letter.

On Sunday, when contacted, Patwardhan said, “Now that I have given the resignation, this subject is closed for me.” The UGC has not yet commented on the matter.

Image source: PTI