Sanjay Deshmukh, Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University, was sacked from his position by Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao for his failure to announce the results of exams held in March and April 2017 within the prescribed deadline.

An official statement issued by the governor’s office said that Deshmukh was removed from his position for “gross negligence and failure in implementing the on-screen assessment system, to declare the results of examinations held in Summer 2017 within the prescribed time limit and for his failure to comply with the directions issued by the chancellor.”

The delay in declaration of the results has been attributed to the varsity’s decision to introduce an on-screen assessment process in haste, despite recommendations to introduce the system phase-wise.

With his removal, Devanand Shinde, the Vice Chancellor of Kolhapur’s Shivaji University will serve as the acting VC of Mumbai University. Meanwhile, the state government will form a search committee to initiate the process of appointing a new vice chancellor.