In a move that is bound to embarrass the government, Chancellor of Nalanda University George Yeo on Friday submitted his resignation letter to the Visitor, President Pranab Mukherjee.

Mr. Yeo’s resignation comes on the Foundation Day of the university.

In a strongly worded letter received by the administrative authorities at 5.30 a.m., Mr. Yeo said the Order, which the Visitor approved on November 21, 2016 dissolving the Governing Board that had included the names of economist Amartya Sen, Trinamool MP Sugata Bose and UK-based economist Lord Megnad Deai, had come as a complete surprise.

“I was neither involved in the preparation nor consulted beforehand,” observed Mr. Yeo. He added that when he took over from Professor Sen last year, he was repeatedly assured that the university would have autonomy. “This appears not to be the case now. With deep sadness, I have submitted my letter of resignation to the Visitor,” Mr. Yeo wrote.

“When I was appointed Chancellor in July 2016, I was told that a new Governing Board would be formed under an amended act, core aspects of which the Ministry of External Affairs sought my views on.” He goes on to add, “The amended Act would have removed a major flaw in the current Act which, in essence, offers Governing Board seats to East Asian Summit countries making the highest financial contributions in the last three years — the provision was never recommended by the Nalanda Mentor Group (NMG).”

Mr. Yeo’s discomfort at the latest move becomes evident when he said, “For reasons not entirely clear to me, the Government of India has decided to form the new Governing Board with immediate effect before the Act is amended. Pending the appointment of a new Vice Chancellor, the incumbent Dr. Gopa Sabbarwal, was to stay on as interim Vice chancellor to ensure there is no hiatus in the leadership of the university.” Mr. Yeo said, “On November 22, the Visitor overruled the Governing Board and directed that the senior-most Dean be appointed instead.”

“The circumstances under which the leadership change in Nalanda University has been suddenly and summarily effected is disturbing and harmful to the university’s development.”