The Union Human Resource Development Ministry on Friday cleared the appointment of Prof Partha Pratim Chakraborty as the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur near here.

The Chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Kharagpur have been informed about the decision of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry that Prof Chakraborty be appointed as Director of IIT Kharagpur, sources said.

The Chairman would give him the appointment either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, officials said.

The faculty members and a large number of alumni of IIT Kharagpur undertook a silent protest march in Kolkata on July 20 to demand the immediate appointment of Prof Chakrabarti as the institute’s Director.

The Board of Governors of IIT Kharagpur cleared Chakraborty’s name of any wrongdoing after carefully examining a case where his name was involved. His appointment was pending the Central Vigilance Commission’s clearance, officials said.

The faculty said IIT Kharagpur had been headless for over a year and Chakrabarti, who was selected by the HRD Ministry-constituted search-cum-selection committee in July 2012, had not yet been allowed to assume office.

Chakarborty will take charge as Director of the prestigious institute either tomorrow or day-after-tomorrow, IIT sources said.