JAMSHEDPUR : The Ministry of Human Resource Development has removed the officiating director of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Dr Akileshwar Mishra following prolonged protests by the NIT faculty. 

Sunil Kumar Sarangi, the present director of Rourkela Technical Institute, would take over as the new acting director of NIT, Jamshedpur. Sarangi is expected to take over as the acting director in a simple function on May 8. 

Sources said that the decision in this regard was taken by Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh, after Jamshedpur MP Suman Mahato and Chaibasa MP Bagun Sumbrai met him in New Delhi on May 5 and put forth the demands of the teachers, who have been 
demanding the removal of Mishra.

Prior to this two members of teacher's association had also left for Delhi to put up their demands to the Union HRD Ministry. 

Meanwhile the officials of NIT Teacher's Association have expressed satisfaction over the decision. "We welcome the decision taken by the Union Minister to remove Mishra. He did little to improve the academic scenario of our institute. I think our fight for the betterment of the institute has brought fruitful results," said an official of the association. 

He expressed confidence that the new director would work to improve the scenario and properly implement the demands of the teachers.

It may be noted that about 70 teachers, including assistant professors, had started an indefinite strike from February 25 demanding the implementation of career advancement scheme (CAS) and the appointment of a full-fledged director of the 
institute. 

Though the teachers ended their strike in the first week of April but recently some of the teachers manhandle Mishra alleging him of foul play in CAS implementation due to which the demand to remove Mishra further intensified. 

Apart from teachers, students were also demanding removal of the present acting director. The academic atmosphere at the institute jeopardised during the strike as teachers refusing to take classes. 

Students of first and second year were also asked to vacate their hostel due to the embroil, the budding technocrat of third and fourth years were left in lurch since classes got suspended due to strike.

With the appointment of new director, students as well as the teachers are hopeful that the things will improve in the days to come. Students said, that they are hopeful that the new director would ensure completion of the curriculum on time and improve the infrastructure at the institute.