The petition, which, since it was published several hours ago earlier today, has already attracted 51 supporters, who are ostensibly NUJS students or alumni.

The petition is entitled “loss of confidence in the vice chancellor and request for urgent redressal”, and states that recent events at the law school, such as the resignation of professor Shamnad Basheer first reported by Legally India on 2 January, have led the alumni to “seriously doubt the efficacy of the current leadership in retaining the academic edge that NUJS had built over the last several years”.

The alumni have expressed concern and cited detailed examples over declining standards in faculty appointment and retention, the law school’s infrastructure, the manner of dealing with sexual harassment complaints at the law school and the VC Ishwara Bhat’s non-responsiveness to emails by organisations and university guests keen on liaising with NUJS on research and moots.

It states:

The past Vice Chancellors’ had the required academic vision and capability to attract leading faculty the world over by offering appropriate incentives and creating a stimulating research and teaching environment.

Little wonder then that within a short period of 10 years, NUJS rose in prominence to take its place as one of the best law schools in the country today. Unfortunately, it took a mere two years for the current leadership to plunge NUJS into a free fall of decline. This tenure has been marked by an alarming exodus of good quality faculty and a drastic fall in academic standards,” the petition states.

Bhat did not respond to a phone call from Legally India seeking comment.

One alumn wrote on change.org:

Ishwara Bhat is by far the worst plague that NUJS has ever had to endure. He has successfully managed to undo all the good that Prof. M.P. Singh accomplished during his tenure as Vice Chancellor. He must be removed with immediate effect if the institution is to have any chance at returning to its former glory.

Another added:

Being a student of NUJS, it is extremely worrisome to see the University in shambles because of bureaucracy. I do not trust the University in the hands of the currrent VC, because in his tenure the best members of our faculty have left.

In July 2013 faculty members complained about Bhat’s allegedly arbitrary decision making, with Bhat in return having promised to improve faculty standards.