Burla: A faculty member of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) in Odisha's Sambalpur district has been handed over compulsory retirement for dereliction of duty after the Board of Management took a decision to this effect recently.

As per reports, disciplinary action had been taken against her and departmental inquiry was ongoing for Associate Professor Sasmita Padhy of Computer Application department as there had been many allegations against her. The decision was taken by the Board of Management in an urgent meeting after the inquiry report confirmed the charges. She had been suspended in the past too for failing to perform as per University rules.

Sources said Prof Padhy was getting repeated reminders  from the University to discharge her duties as the Head of Department (HoD) which she kept on ignoring and flouting the institutional guidelines.

On the other hand, Prof Padhy  dismissed the allegations and said this was an act of revenge against her. "The charges against me are not true. I had been discharging all my duties and even asked the University authorities regarding academic regulations. I had even moved the High Court in this regard. This decision of handing over compulsory retirement against me is nothing but revenge by the University authorities," she told mediapersons.

In August 2019, Prof Padhy along with a colleague and seven more teachers had been suspended on various charges  which included preventing classes, evaluation of papers, instigating and provoking faculty members  to stage protests.