St Stephen's principal appointment: DU objects to Susan Elias selection

The University of Delhi has formally objected to St. Stephen’s College appointing Susan Elias as principal in an official letter dated May 14, 2026 . The letter says the college’s selection committee appears not to have been constituted in line with UGC Regulations 2018 and asks the college not to proceed.

St Stephen's principal appointment: University of Delhi's objections

In its letter, the University of Delhi cited provisions of the UGC Regulations that define the composition of a principal-selection committee, including the requirement for Vice‑Chancellor nominees and subject experts approved by the relevant statutory body. DU said it was not approached for those nominations.

The university warned that recommendations from a committee not formed under UGC rules "cannot be implemented" and requested that the college convene a selection committee constituted according to the UGC Regulations 2018 . DU also asked the Governing Body not to go ahead with the appointment until the issue is resolved.

St Stephen's principal appointment: College rules and constitution

St. Stephen’s College constitution contains a specific recruitment clause. Clause 4 requires that the Principal be a member of the Church of North India or a church in communion with it. The clause also states that the Principal shall not be eligible to be a member of the Governing Body of any other college of the University of Delhi.

These internal constitutional requirements sit alongside the UGC-prescribed selection process, creating overlapping governance obligations for the Governing Body and the university.

Who is Susan Elias?

Susan Elias, described by college officials as the institution’s 15th principal and its first woman principal , is set to take charge on June 1, 2026 . She is a computer‑science engineer by training, holding a BTech from the University of Madras and a master’s degree and PhD from Anna University.

Elias was a post‑doctoral fellow at IIT Madras. Her academic career includes positions at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Hindustan University, and most recently she served as Pro‑Vice Chancellor at Chandigarh University’s Uttar Pradesh campus.

She succeeds John Varghese, whose tenure previously saw repeated disagreements between the college administration and the University of Delhi.

The University of Delhi has asked the college to call a meeting of a UGC‑compliant selection committee before any appointment recommendations are implemented. The matter now rests on how the Governing Body responds to DU’s May 14, 2026 letter and whether a fresh meeting will be held under the UGC norms.