Patna, Oct. 8: The Mahatma Gandhi Central University in Motihari has referred the teacher-dismissal row to the executive council after the two faculty members claimed they had been sacked without reason.

Biotechnology teacher Sashi Kant Rai and zoology teacher Amit Ranjan were dismissed in the last week of September on 'performance grounds' but they have submitted a memorandum to the university administration, urging for the decision to be revoked.

'The teachers, who were sacked from the varsity on grounds of performance, submitted a memorandum to me on October 5 urging the varsity to revoke the dismissal. On humanitarian grounds, I considered their request and forwarded it to the executive council the next day,' vice-chancellor Arvind Kumar Agarwal told The Telegraph. 'It is now for the executive council to decide if their dismissal will be revoked.'

The 11-member executive council of the Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, is its highest-decision making body. The council is headed by the vice-chancellor with its members nominated by the President.

Before holding a meeting of the executive council, the university has to submit the agenda to the President. To revoke dismissal of teachers, the executive council has to pass the resolution with a two-thirds majority.

Biotechnology teacher Sashi Kant Rai said he was shocked to receive his termination letter which had no mention for the action. 'I was terminated because I am from Bihar; the vice-chancellor happens to be an outsider,' he claimed.

The campus has been restive the past several weeks following the teachers' dismissal, with various organisations staging agitations against the university administration.

On Sunday, various groups held a demonstration outside the campus and even burnt the effigy of vice-chancellor.

'Some people with vested interests are trying to create disturbance on the campus. They are creating tension in the name of Bihari-vs-outsider,' said an official at the Motihari central university. 'Though the vice-chancellor is an outsider, majority of the teachers, staff members and students are from Bihar.'

Agarwal said: 'There are many teachers and non-faculty members from Bihar here, so why would the university administration target teachers from Bihar when the university is located in the state.'

The Mahatma Gandhi Central University was announced in July 2012 by then human resource development minister Kapil Sibal. Last year the university launched its first academic session.

At present, the university runs 15 courses - 13 undergraduate and two postgraduate courses - from its rented premises, Zila School in Motihari.

The university has around 600 students and 69 teachers.