Shillong, November 12 (MExN): The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Tuesday urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to immediately intervene to resolve the ongoing crisis at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
In a representation to the Minister, NESO conveyed its strong support for the demands raised by the North-Eastern Hill University Students' Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) NEHU, which include the “immediate termination of the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Deputy Registrar, and all incompetent teaching and non-teaching staff currently employed” at the university.
NESO, a conglomeration of eight student bodies in the region, pointed to what it described as a “total breakdown of administration” due to the ongoing indefinite hunger strike launched by the student community under the banner of NEHUSU and the KSU NEHU since November 5.
The current VC, Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla, has been criticised for being unresponsive to the concerns and appeals of students, teachers, and non-teaching staff since taking over the role.
According to NESO, petitions submitted by NEHUSU to address the issues plaguing the university have yielded no results, prompting the unions to resort to agitation in the form of an indefinite hunger strike outside the VC's office since November 5, demanding his ouster and the removal of other officials.
As a result, classes have been disrupted, and the health of fasting students is reportedly deteriorating day by day, raising concerns for their well-being in the near future, it said.
Accordingly, the NESO stated in the letter to the Minister that as responsible students’ organisation of the North East, it is outlining and supporting the key points raised by NEHUSU and KSU NEHU Unit.
These include a formal demand for the immediate removal of the VC, Registrar, Deputy Registrar, and all ‘incompetent teaching and non-teaching staff.’
The management of the university, under the leadership of the current VC, Prof Shukla, and Registrar, Col Omkar Singh (Retd.), has reached an untenable state, with alarming consequences for the academic standards, infrastructure, and reputation of the institution, the unions also alleged.
The duo pointed to the decline in the university’s rankings in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), from consistently being in the “top 60 universities nationally” to the 100-150 rank band in just three years under the current leadership.
Despite repeated efforts to raise concerns through memorandums and Charters of Demands, the Vice-Chancellor has consistently failed to address the pressing issues affecting the university, they said.
Among the most glaring issues under the current VC's leadership are severe shortages in hostel facilities, laboratories, and a lack of staff to maintain the smooth functioning of academic and administrative departments, they maintained. The unions also accused the administration of failing to fill vacant positions in a timely manner.
They also charged the VC of unfulfilled recruitment drives, with cancellations made without proper justification, leading to disappointment and frustration among applicants.
The VC has also allegedly failed to ensure the smooth functioning of the university's academic and administrative activities, including repeatedly disrupting or cancelling meetings of the Academic Council, the duo claimed.
The appointment of Col Singh as NEHU Registrar has also been questioned, with the unions citing his lack of relevant academic experience for managing the affairs of a university. His tenure as Controller of Examinations (Incharge) was marked by inefficiency, with significant delays in conducting exams and declaring results, they added.
The NEHUSU and KSU NEHU also raised concerns about the appointment of Amit Gupta as Deputy Registrar (Academics), alleging that he was deemed “ineligible during the 2022 recruitment drive” due to inadequate experience for the post.
Additionally, they accused the VC of making unethical appointments, including the recent decisions to appoint individuals who had already reached the age of superannuation, such as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for the Director of College Development Council (CDC) and the Guest House Incharge.
The VC's frequent and extended absences from the university were also cited as indicative of absentee leadership, delaying crucial administrative decisions and undermining the university's development.
Instead of focusing on improving the university, the VC has engaged in activities that have undermined its integrity, the unions added.
In light of these issues, NESO conveyed its strong support to the demand and appealed to the Union Education Minister to intervene and address the crisis at the earliest.
NESO comprises the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU), and Garo Students’ Union (GSU).
