Jai Prakash University vice-chancellor Dwijendra Kumar Gupta, facing vigilance probe in a case of alleged irregularities in purchase of answer books last year, is all set to be shown the door.

Gupta, who got an anticipatory bail from Patna High Court in March, is likely to be removed as both Raj Bhavan and the education department have agreed on it.

According to highly placed sources at Raj Bhavan, Governor-cum-chancellor of universities Ram Nath Kovind has given his nod to remove Gupta, but it is yet to issue an official notification in this regard.

Sources said education minister Ashok Choudhary called on the governor on Monday to discuss the VC's removal. Choudhary said: "The government has zero-tolerance policy on corruption. The higher education sector is no exception to this."

The sources said if Gupta is removed from his post, he would be the first VC to lose his post. He was appointed on January 30, 2014, based on search committee recommendations. The search committee last year appointed vice-chancellors in 10 universities and pro-VCs in nine universities. The state government, in consultation with Raj Bhavan in 2013, constituted the search committee for selection of VCs and pro-VCs. The search committee was constituted as eight VCs who were appointed in 2011 by then governor Devanand Konwar faced vigilance probe in connection with various financial irregularities.

Gupta, prior to appointment as VC of JP University, was professor at biochemistry department at Allahabad University. Bishwajeet Singh Chandel, a research scholar and student leader at JP University who has taken a lead in demanding vigilance probe against Gupta, said the VC had purchased the question paper/answer sheets worth Rs 1.5 crore without following norms.

Chandel added: "In 2014, after being appointed as VC of JP University in April 2014, Gupta purchased question papers/answer sheets from Allahabad-based private printer Chandrakala Universal Pvt. Ltd. The purchase was made without floating any tender."

According to Chandel, Gupta purchased 32 pages question paper/answer sheet at the rate of Rs 12.50, while the earlier rate was Rs 10 for 40 pages question paper/ answer sheets.

Based on Chandel and other student leaders' application, the vigilance department instituted a probe against Gupta on September 20, 2014.

On January 30, 2015, the vigilance department registered a case against Gupta and in the probe found that financial irregularities have been carried out in the purchase. Based on the findings FIR was registered against Gupta. However, in March this year the Patna High Court granted anticipatory bail to him till trial is not started in the case.

WITH INPUT FROM RAKESH K. SINGH IN CHHAPRA