Who Is Swaran Singh, JNU Professor Terminated Over Harassment Allegations?

Professor Swaran Singh, a senior faculty member at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), was dismissed from his position after an investigation into the sexual harassment charges he faced which allegedly involved a Japanese Embassy official. The university's Executive Council, its highest statutory decision-making body, has taken action on a comprehensive internal inquiry that found supportive evidence among other things audio tapes.

Swaran was a professor at the Centre for International Politics, Organisation & Disarmament, part of JNU’s School of International Studies. He had a strong academic background, earning a Master’s degree in Political Science from Delhi University, and a Ph.D. in International Studies from JNU. In addition to these qualifications, he also holds a post-doctoral diploma in Conflict Resolution from Uppsala University, Sweden. His research areas include arms control, peace studies and India’s nuclear policy.

Before joining JNU in 2001, Singh worked at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) from 1992 to 2001. In addition to these, he also played leadership roles including president of the Association of Asian Studies (2006), general secretary of the Indian Congress of Asian & Pacific Studies (2008), and served as the Chief Vigilance Officer at JNU between 2012 and 2014.

About the complaint

The complaint against Singh was filed by a Japanese official who had professional dealings with him, including participating in conferences and cooperating in research projects. The university formed a committee to thoroughly investigate the matter, at which time both sides aired their grievances. The subsequent inquiry led to Singh’s dismissal without severance pay.

Meanwhile, JNU has taken action against other teaching faculty and university staff on charges ranging from corruption to infractions of administrative regulations, reflecting the School's growing focus on maintaining accountability.