Banaras Hindu University (BHU) vice chancellor (V-C) Girish Chandra Tripathi went on an indefinite leave, citing personal reasons, on Monday.
Tripathi’s tenure ends on 30 November.
The development comes amid indications from top Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) sources that the central government was upset with the manner in which he handled the entire episode, including a protest by women students following an incident of alleged harassment.
However, last week Tripathi had said that he will ‘resign’ if he is asked to proceed on leave.
The vice-chancellor has been under pressure for mishandling of woman protests after a woman student was allegedly molested inside the campus. The students were lathi-charged by police. A number of students were injured in the protest.
BHU is one of the country’s 43 central universities.
(With agency inputs)