Prayagraj/New Delhi: Justice Vikram Nath is scheduled to become the Chief Justice of India in February 2027, succeeding Chief Justice Surya Kant, whose term ends on February 9, 2027. Justice Nath, who joined the Supreme Court in August 2021, is due to retire on September 23, 2027, according to the Supreme Court’s official records.
Justice Nath’s wife, Prof. Sangita Srivastava, has meanwhile been reappointed as Vice-Chancellor of Allahabad University for a second five-year term. The appointment, approved by President Droupadi Murmu as the university’s Visitor, took effect from September 16, 2026, and will continue for five years or until she turns 70, whichever is earlier. She became the university’s Vice-Chancellor in November 2020.
Her reappointment marks the first time in Allahabad University’s history that a Vice-Chancellor has been given a second consecutive term.
Prof. Srivastava’s first tenure, however, was also marked by several controversies. In March 2021, she wrote to Prayagraj authorities complaining that the early-morning azaan from a nearby mosque, broadcast through a loudspeaker, was disturbing her sleep. The issue attracted considerable public attention.
The university also witnessed prolonged student protests following a substantial fee hike approved by its Executive Council in August 2022. Students organised hunger strikes, demonstrations and torchlight marches, while the administration defended the decision citing reduced UGC funding and the need to mobilise resources for infrastructure and implementation of the National Education Policy.
Other contentious issues during her tenure included the construction of a wall near a Science Faculty gate in 2023 and restrictions concerning faculty and staff interactions with the media and social media discussions involving the university.
Her appointment has also faced questions in political and academic circles. In December 2022, Congress Rajya Sabha member Rajmani Patel had raised questions in Parliament regarding her eligibility for the Vice-Chancellor’s post, including an allegation concerning the required experience. Those claims were raised by the politician and are distinct from the subsequent official decision to reappoint her.
With Justice Nath set to lead the Supreme Court from February 2027 and Prof. Srivastava beginning her second term at Allahabad University, the couple will simultaneously hold prominent positions in India’s judicial and higher-education institutions.
