Senior IIT Roorkee professor dismissed over sexual harassment charges

A senior professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has been dismissed from service following an internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment made by a PhD research scholar under his supervision. The professor, Dr Zillur Rahman, 60, was terminated on Monday after disciplinary proceedings concluded, according to an official statement issued by the institute on Tuesday.

The allegation, filed in January by a female PhD student, triggered an inquiry by the institute’s internal complaints committee. After a detailed investigation, the committee found the professor guilty of sexual harassment, leading to his removal. Dr Rahman, one of the senior-most faculty members at IIT Roorkee, had previously served as the head of the Department of Management Studies.

At the time of his dismissal, he was supervising over 15 research scholars. Sources within the institute say the news has caused significant unrest among the academic community, with many expressing concern over the abuse of power and the need for stronger institutional safeguards.

In its official statement, IIT Roorkee stated that a faculty member of the institute has been dismissed from service after the completion of disciplinary proceedings against him. 

This marks the first time such an incident has been publicly reported in the history of IIT Roorkee, one of India's oldest and most prestigious technical institutions. The case has prompted discussions around the need for a safer academic environment, especially for female scholars in higher education institutions.