The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Friday denied reports that the Centre has appointed BA Chopade, the current Vice-Chancellor of the Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, as the next head of the Banaras Hindu University.

“The news item appearing in some newspapers [and] PTI that a new vice chancellor has been appointed in Banaras Hindu University is entirely incorrect,” the ministry said.

Earlier in the day, many reports had said that President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the Visitor to the University, has approved his appointment this week.

The post fell vacant after Girish Chandra Tripathi was removed after he had dismissed an alleged incident of sexual harassment that had sparked student protests in the university from September 21 to 23, 2017. Registrar Neeraj Tripathi has been officiating as the interim vice chancellor since October 2017.