Guwahati: The North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has decided to send a formal letter to the Ministry of Education, demanding a response within 48 hours regarding the appointment of the senior-most professor as acting Vice-Chancellor (VC) in the absence of a regular VC at NEHU, Shillong.
Currently, Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla has not resumed his duties in person and has been on leave for 135 days.
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The meeting held on Monday, attended by various stakeholders, including statutory associations such as NEHUTA, NEHUNSA, and NEHUSU, as well as Deans of Schools and university officials, made this decision.
During the meeting, participants agreed that according to Statute 2(A) 5(i) and Statute 2(B)(2) of the NEHU Act, the senior-most professor should assume the role of acting VC in the absence of the regular VC.
The meeting stressed that the university should invoke the provisions of the NEHU Act to facilitate this action.
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The ongoing crisis caused by the VC’s absence has severely affected the university’s operations, especially with the financial year ending, exams ongoing, and other critical matters pending, raising concerns.
The meeting also decided that no official documents, whether in hard or soft copies, should be sent to the VC while he is on leave, and no unauthorized directives from him should be followed.
The meeting further condemned the alleged threats made by the absent VC against the acting Registrar and other university employees.
NEHUSU president Sandy Sohtun spoke to reporters after the meeting and confirmed that the stakeholders agreed to send a letter to the Ministry of Education, demanding the senior-most professor’s appointment as acting VC.
Sohtun criticized the VC for attempting to manage university affairs by issuing directives via WhatsApp from Guwahati, describing this approach as unacceptable.
He also expressed the union’s and student community’s rejection of the VC’s justifications for his prolonged absence, pointing out his failure to appoint a Pro-VC for four years and his inability to conduct the university convocation for three years.
Sohtun further stated that the VC’s neglect of student concerns had led to the firm decision that Prof. Shukla should not return to the campus.