Even as protests by students continued in the University of Hyderabad (UoH), the centre stated in an affidavit that it could not remove varsity vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile as there was "no provision."

The Times of India reported that the centre also stated that Rao's appointment was made by President on a 'contractual basis' and declared that the union ministry had no say in the matter.

“The MHRD is the nodal ministry of all the central universities including UoH but has no role to play in day to day affairs of these central universities. VC of UoH is appointed by President of India in the capacity of the Visitor of the university and there is no provision of transfer of the VC of UOH to other central university under the provisions of UoH Acts and Statutes as the appointment is made on contractual basis,'' TOI quoted the affidavit as stating.

This came a day after a Guntur district collector ordered a fresh probe to determine if Rohith Vemula was a Dalit or not, despite submitting a report which claimed that Vemula was a Dalit who belonged to the 'Mala Caste'.