No Inquiry, No Evidence? MNNIT Allahabad’s Shocking Suspension of Adivasi Professor Sparks Caste Discrimination Outrage

Prayagraj – In a stunning and controversial move that has sent shockwaves through India's academic corridors, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad has placed Dr. M. Venkatesh Naik, an Assistant Professor from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, under immediate suspension, weeks after his high-profile legal battles against alleged caste-based discrimination reached a fever pitch.

The order, issued on September 19, cites a vague complaint of "activities prejudicial to the interest of the security of the Institute" and "personal and professional harm to the faculties" in the Electrical Engineering Department. Dr. Naik, a vocal whistleblower in what he describes as a decade-long pattern of institutional bias, has decried the suspension as "illegal, arbitrary, and retaliatory," vowing to challenge it in court while demanding its immediate revocation.

The suspension comes at a precarious juncture for Dr. Naik, whose grievances, ranging from denied Ph.D. student allotments and stalled promotions to fabricated harassment charges, have already drawn scrutiny from the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), the Supreme Court, and even appeals to the Prime Minister's Office.

Critics, including Bahujan rights activists, view this as a blatant attempt by the institute to muzzle a dissenting Adivasi voice, exacerbating concerns over caste inequities in premier technical institutions.

A Decade of Alleged Discrimination: The Roots of the Conflict

Dr. Naik's ordeal traces back to 2012, when he joined MNNIT's Electrical Engineering Department as an Assistant Professor alongside Dr. Navneet Kumar Singh (Scheduled Caste) and Dr. Niraj Kumar Choudhary (General category). Hailing from the Adivasi community, Dr. Naik brought a passion for renewable energy research, specializing in DC-DC converters for electric vehicles and solar PV systems, as evidenced by his Google Scholar profile with over 116 citations. Yet, what began as a promising academic journey quickly devolved into a nightmare of exclusion, which he attributes squarely to his ST background.

By 2017, both Dr. Naik and Dr. Choudhary had completed their Ph.D.s, a milestone that should have leveled the playing field. Instead, stark disparities emerged under the stewardship of then-Department Head Dr. Paulson Samuel. Dr. Choudhary was allotted six Ph.D. students across 2017-2019, Dr. Singh received four, but Dr. Naik was denied even one, a critical omission that stunted his research output and career progression. "This wasn't oversight; it was deliberate sabotage," Dr. Naik has repeatedly stated in public appeals. It wasn't until 2020 that he was granted his first Ph.D. supervisee, leaving his peers with a three-year advantage in building supervisory credentials essential for promotions.

The inequities compounded in 2019 when Dr. Naik, Dr. Singh, and Dr. Choudhary were elevated to Assistant Professor Grade-I (AGP 8000). Dr. Prashant Kumar Tiwari joined later that November from NIT Silchar, further complicating departmental dynamics. Promotion battles became the flashpoint: On July 26, 2023, all four appeared for Associate Professor interviews (AGP 9500), meeting credit point requirements, yet none advanced. The real injustice struck on August 23, 2024, when Dr. Naik alone was excluded from the shortlist, ostensibly for lacking completed Ph.D. guidances, a impossible standard given his delayed start. By January 6, 2025, his colleagues were promoted, inverting seniority and placing the junior Dr. Tiwari above him, a loss Dr. Naik links directly to the initial Ph.D. denials.

Speaking with The Mooknayak, Dr Naik stated, " the order is illegal, arbitrary, and unsustainable. The order has been passed without any fact-finding committee, preliminary inquiry, or examination of facts. As per settled law, suspension must be based on reasonable grounds and supporting material. In my case, no such material has been placed on record." Further he explained," Rule 10 of the CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965 permits suspension only when disciplinary proceedings are pending or contemplated, or where a criminal case is under investigation/trial. No charge sheet has been issued to me, no inquiry proceedings have been initiated, and no criminal case is pending. Therefore, the suspension is without jurisdiction."

Naik emphasized that, " the Supreme Court in Ajay Kumar Choudhary v. Union of India (2015) held that suspension cannot be mechanical or indefinite, and must be justified by cogent reasons. In my case, the suspension has been issued mechanically, without reasons, and without adherence to constitutional safeguards." The timing and manner of suspension, in the absence of inquiry, clearly indicate arbitrariness and victimization, rather than a bona fide administrative measure. This violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India, which guarantee equality and protection from arbitrary state action, he stressed.

The Mooknayak, has sent emails to the authorities including MNNIT Director and Registrar seeking their responses on the suspension and allegations made by Dr. Naik. The report would be updated upon receiving a response.