SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh higher education department on Thursday dismissed three assistant professors for alleged sexual harassment of female students and abuse of official position.Those dismissed include Virender Sharma, assistant professor (mathematics) at govt college, Tissa, Chamba district; Pawan Kumar, assistant professor (dance-kathak) at govt college, Dharamshala, Kangra district; and Anil Kumar, assistant professor (chemistry), who is under suspension and attached to the directorate of higher education in Shimla. According to orders issued by the education department secretary, the dismissals will disqualify the assistant professors from future govt employment under applicable rules. The orders mention the misconduct established during departmental inquiries against them was of an “extremely grave and reprehensible nature”. In Sharma’s case, a female student filed a complaint against him in Dec 2021 during his posting at one of the govt degree colleges in Shimla district. Similarly, Pawan Kumar faced allegations following a complaint lodged in Jan 2024 by a student when he was posted in one of the govt colleges in Shimla. In Anil Kumar’s case, the complaint was filed in Nov 2024 by a student during his tenure at one of the govt colleges in Hamirpur district. “Any act of sexual impropriety towards a student strikes at the very foundation of institutional discipline, compromises the safety and psychological well-being of students, erodes public confidence in the education system and brings grave disrepute to the department and the govt,” reads the dismissal order.
