The North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) at Nirjuli in Arunachal Pradesh is finally back to regular activities after the Students’ Union of NERIST (SUN) suspended its week-long protest.
The decision to this effect came after the appointment of a regular director for the premier technical institute of the north-eastern region.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on Tuesday had reinstated Professor HS Yadav of the NERIST’s Chemistry department as the new director of the institute who was earlier sacked for alleged financial irregularities.
Also read: MHRD reinstates sacked director of NERIST to the post
Addressing the media in Itanagar on Wednesday, SUN representatives however, said they are working out options and measures for appointment of a new director from outside the State.
While stating that since their priority was a permanent director, they have decided to suspend the agitation, the SUN leadership reiterated their demand for someone who is not a faculty member of the NERIST, which ‘has been completely overlooked by the MHRD’.
The students expressed hope that their basic facilities would improve and technical laboratories would be upgraded.
They also called for repairing and maintenance of hostels.
On controversies surrounding Prof Yadav as director in-charge, the SUN leadership said that the controversies are not the concern of the students, and exuded confidence that he would live up to the expectations of the students, or face an uprising.
Earlier on March 5, the Arunachal Students’ Union of Delhi, led by its president Likha Akash and general secretary Dewan Natung held a peaceful gathering and awareness camp at the Arunachal Bhawan in the national capital and also in Panipat and Karnal in Haryana during the state-wide shutdown of higher educational institutes back in Arunachal Pradesh expressing solidarity with agitating NERIST students.