GBU researcher alleges prof harassed her over her thesis

Greater Noida: A research associate with Gautam Buddha University (GBU) has accused the head of a department of harassing her sexually and mentally, days after a faculty member levelled similar allegations against a senior colleague. The woman researcher also alleged that the professor did not process her thesis and “sabotaged” her career.
The woman, who had approached the internal complaints committee of the varsity on August 13, has now knocked on the doors of the National Commission for Women, alleging that the professor asked her to “be intelligent” and “go with him on outings”. This is the fifth complaint of sexual harassment against a senior official of GBU over the past few years.
The woman has mentioned in her complaint that she was appointed a research associate in November 2012 and was allegedly asked by the professor in 2016 to meet him alone for discussing her thesis.
“He remarked that since my client was a divorcee, she should be ‘intelligent’ enough to understand what was being asked of her and that she should go out on outings with him. My client’s repeated rejection of his untoward advances resulted in him becoming vindictive towards my client. He would not only threaten to spoil my client’s ACR but also issue false and malicious showcause notices since my client had refused to give in to his demands,” reads the complaint given to the ICC by the woman’s lawyer.
She also alleged that though she had submitted her thesis to her supervisors, it was returned. The researcher told TOI she had been issued multiple notices that accused her of not attending classes despite being regular at the varsity. “There have been instances when I was present in the class but the HOD sent me messages saying I was not there,” she alleged.
GBU registrar SN Tewari said since her complaint had been forwarded to the ICC, the matter was sub-judice. “She hasn’t been coming to the varsity since the lockdown. For the past six months, there has been no contact between her and the HOD. There are instances when she has not been attending classes. An inquiry would be conducted now,” he added.