Hyderabad: The Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) is embroiled in a controversy after its Director General, Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar, faced allegations of sexual harassment and workplace victimisation. A woman professor from the institution has lodged a complaint with the National Commission for Women (NCW), claiming that after she approached the commission, her contract was terminated and she was barred from entering the campus on Monday. She further alleged that her office was locked, despite the matter being pending before the NCW.
Legal Proceedings and Timeline
The NCW has scheduled a hearing in the case for June 3. The professor initially filed a complaint in October 2024. An internal complaints committee (ICC) investigated the matter at that time, but the professor questioned the constitution and impartiality of the committee and contested its findings. Ramesh Kumar has denied all allegations, stating that the claims against him are false. ASCI Chairman and former Union Home Secretary K Padmanabhaiah said the ICC exonerated Ramesh Kumar and submitted its report to the NCW on November 23, 2024.
Professor Alleges Advances and Retaliation
According to the 2024 complaint, the professor alleged that shortly after Ramesh Kumar's appointment as Director General, he made sexual advances towards her during an informal meeting in her office at ASCI. She described the meeting as "highly unusual" since the DG typically did not visit faculty offices unannounced. During the encounter, she claimed Ramesh Kumar spoke about career success and stated that one must "satisfy" him to succeed in the organisation. After she resisted, she alleged a "saga of harassment and victimisation" began, including show-cause notices and her removal as a centre director.
In her latest complaint to the NCW on June 1, the professor alleged that the conflict escalated when she was physically barred from the ASCI campus. She claimed that the college gates were closed to her, security was instructed to deny her entry, and her office was locked with her personal belongings inside. She also refuted allegations of unprofessional conduct during an international tour, stating that she provided honest feedback about poor service from tour operators and was being punished for her integrity. The professor challenged the chairman's assertions and alleged that ASCI's internal committee was improperly constituted in violation of the POSH Act, accusing the management of "supporting a perpetrator blindly" instead of seeking justice.
DG and Chairman Deny Charges
Responding to the allegations, Ramesh Kumar denied seeking sexual favours, calling the allegation "entirely false." His office maintained that the DG's office was an "open office" with complete visibility, and standard operating procedures required doors to remain open whenever a lady was present, with a staff member always within earshot. Regarding the harassment and administrative retaliation claims, the DG's response stated that he had met the professor once or twice since taking charge about one-and-a-half years ago, specifically to discuss "unbecoming conduct" and correspondence about a foreign tour that risked damaging the college's reputation.
A statement from his office described the complaint as an "afterthought" intended to mask what it called a "five-year record of non-performance." It denied that any show-cause notices were served, stating that the professor received periodic guidance as part of a performance appraisal system aimed at improving her revenue and performance, which were described as "below par." On the status of the ICC, the DG's response asserted that the committee was fully functional and aligned with POSH Act guidelines. After receiving communication from the NCW, the ICC gave the complainant two opportunities on November 21 and 22, 2024, to provide evidence. The ICC reported "no merit" in the complaint, and the report was shared with the NCW on November 23, 2024.
On the allegation that the professor was restricted from entering the premises and accessing her room, the DG's response said her contract had expired on May 31, 2026. She was officially informed of the situation and had ample opportunity to remove her personal effects, and she would not be prevented from doing so even now. Regarding allegations of mental harassment by other professors, ASCI leadership said there was "no truth" to the claims. Faculty performance issues were discussed collectively by the ASCI leadership and a committee of senior deans, not by the DG alone. As a self-financing institution, ASCI required a culture of accountability and performance, with every centre functioning as a cost centre to sustain the college.
ASCI Chairman K Padmanabhaiah stated: "ASCI has in place an ICC. The complaint was referred to the ICC. The ICC submitted its report to me on November 23, 2024, exonerating Ramesh Kumar. I submitted the report to the NCW on the same date. There has been no communication from the NCW for one and a half years. On May 26, 2026, my office received a notice from the NCW, asking me to attend an online meeting on June 3, 2026. There is no indication in the said notice as to whether the complainant has filed a fresh complaint with the NCW. No indication was given about the exact issue for discussion." Padmanabhaiah further said: "ASCI reviews the performance of professors periodically. Such a review was due at the end of the professor completing her 59 years of age. In the review, the DG found her performance to be poor and hence decided to terminate her services at the close on May 31. As chairman, I accepted the assessment."
