A break with tradition has left Magadh Mahila College teachers fuming, as the institution has been handed over to a male principal for the first time since its foundation.

Since being founded in 1946, the Magadh Mahila College - a constituent unit of Patna University - has had a woman as its head.

Dolly Sinha was appointed principal of the college in 2009 for a five-year tenure by then Patna University vice-chancellor Shyam Lal. After a year's extension, her tenure came to an end on May 8 this year.

The governor, who is also the chancellor of the state's universities, ordered Sinha and Vanijya Mahavidyalaya principal Umesh Mishra to be removed from their posts. Patna University vice-chancellor Y.C. Simhadri swapped the principals' charge following which Sinha went to Vanijya Mahavidyalaya and Mishra to Magadh Mahila College on Saturday.

The transfers were made on the direction of the governor under Section 27(6)(d) of the Patna University Act, 1976, in pursuance of the provision, said Simhadri.

He added: "Both the principals had completed their five-year tenure in their respective offices. We received a letter from the governor to remove them from their charges and we implemented the order."

It is for the first time since its foundation that Magadh Mahila College has got a male principal. Instituting a man as the head of the women's college is being seen by the faculty members as tinkering with the institution's traditions of having a woman as the principal.

Suheli Mehta, a faculty of home science department, said: "I am not one to discriminate but I am unhappy that the tradition (of having a female principal) has been broken by the university administration. Since the college was founded in 1946, only women have been principals of this institution. The environment of a girls' college is totally different from the co-ed institutions. So, we were expecting a new female principal. The students would not be able to share their problems with the new principal."

She is not the only one unhappy.

Pushpalata from the political science department claimed the principal was not appointed through the university's selection committee. "If the administration has extended their tenure, then it would have been appropriate to retain Dolly Sinha as the college's principal. A girls' college should be administered by a woman principal. Even 90 per cent of the teachers are women."

The newly appointed principal, Mishra, told The Telegraph: "Both of us (Sinha and him) were appointed principals in 2009 by then Patna University vice-chancellor Shyam Lal according to the criteria of the university's selection committee."

On his new charge, he said: "It takes some time to adapt to new changes but in time, everything will turn out right. I will deliver my duties towards the university and the college and will work towards the development of the institution."