John Varghese reappointment St. Stephen's

St. Stephen's College has reappointed former principal John Varghese as a professor in the English department, a move Delhi University officials say violates deputation and appointment norms. The decision follows Varghese's two-term tenure as principal and has prompted fresh objections from university authorities.

John Varghese reappointment St. Stephen's: background and timeline

Varghese was appointed the 13th principal of St. Stephen's College in 2016 and received a second term in 2021 . Before his principalship he was a professor and head of the department of media and communication at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad.

College announcements in mid‑May named Susan Elias as St. Stephen's 15th principal. Shortly after, the college listed Varghese as returning to its English faculty, prompting university objections.

John Varghese reappointment St. Stephen's: what university officials say

A senior university official told reporters the reappointment runs against deputation rules that require a person to return to their parent organisation after a deputation term ends. In Varghese's case the parent body would be EFLU, the official said.

The official also reiterated that Delhi University has no provision for direct appointment to professor posts in its colleges without a competitive selection process. "There’s no such post of professor in DU colleges against which you can directly be appointed and that too, without facing a selection committee," a senior faculty member said.

Legal challenge, college constitution and halted recruitment

Teachers at St. Stephen's who said they were displaced by recent recruitments moved the Delhi High Court. The university supported the teachers' challenge, and the court halted the recruitment process pending further hearings.

Faculty members have also argued that the move contravenes clauses in the college constitution. University officials cited a Government of India rule that, they said, requires return to the parent organisation on completion of deputation; in cases of retirement, pension liabilities remain with the former employer.

Immediate impact and next steps

The legal stay on recruitment keeps faculty positions in flux and leaves departmental staffing uncertain for the near term. The court matter will determine whether the college can finalise internal appointments or must reopen selection through authorised DU procedures.

Both parties — the college administration and university authorities — have framed the issue as a matter of rules and procedure. The next hearing date in the Delhi High Court will shape how colleges across the university approach similar post‑principal appointments.