NID has decided not to involve the accused faculty member in any academic or administrative matters. He is also not being allowed to enter the NID campuses. (File Photo) NID has decided not to involve the accused faculty member in any academic or administrative matters. He is also not being allowed to enter the NID campuses. (File Photo)

A senior faculty member of the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad has resigned after he was asked to leave the institute following complaints from students that he used sexual innuendos in his language while teaching in class.

Krishnesh Mehta, who taught interdisciplinary studies and industrial design, was to be terminated from service after the inquiry committee set up by NID to probe the complaints against him found the charges genuine.

According to NID director Pradyumna Vyas, the faculty member was relieved from services with immediate effect from October 5 when he submitted his resignation.

Mehta, who was part of the faculty at NID for nearly 25 years, has been barred from entering all NID campuses, and the institute has decided not to involve him in any of academic or administrative matters in any manner.

Mehta could not be reached for a comment.

According to the institute, a group of students complained that Mehta used “undesirable and out of syllabus references to sexuality and sexual relations and behaviour” in his classes.

This was the second complaint against Mehta amounting to sexual harassment — in the earlier instance, a few years ago, he was punished with the institute withholding his increment.

NID director Vyas told The Sunday Express that the inquiry was set up “immediately after we received complaints from students against Krishnesh Mehta”.

Headed by senior NID faculty Dr Shilpa Das, the five-member inquiry committee included three women and one male members and one external expert. The committee concluded that complaint was genuine — that Mehta’s references, and behaviour were not relevant to educational functions and were outside the syllabus, and he was found guilty of sexual harassment.

“We decided to immediately terminate him, but he apologised and submitted his resignation, which was accepted,” Vyas said.

According to Vyas, Mehta failed to give an explanation in support of his act, and did not he express remorse when served a showcause notice.

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