Professor Jagneshwar Dandapat Reappointed as In-Charge VC of Utkal University

Bhubaneswar: Professor Jagneshwar Dandapat has been reappointed as the in-charge Vice Chancellor of Utkal University in Bhubaneswar, according to an official notification issued by the office of Odisha Governor and Chancellor of Universities, Hari Babu Kambhampati.

A professor of Biotechnology, Dandapat has been reappointed under Sub-section 10 of Section 6 of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The notification states that he will serve as the in-charge VC until a new Vice Chancellor is appointed or until further orders are issued.

Notably, Professor Dandapat was recently removed from the same position following a legal challenge. A public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Prabir Das in the Orissa High Court questioned the legality of his earlier appointment, citing alleged violations of the Odisha Universities Act, 2024.

Despite the legal controversy, the Governor’s office has once again entrusted Dandapat with the responsibility of leading the premier state university on an interim basis, as the search for a permanent Vice Chancellor continues.