SHILLONG, NOV 25: Students and faculty of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) met a two-member inquiry committee appointed by the Ministry of Education, reiterating their demand for the immediate removal of Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha S. Shukla.
Representatives from the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU), and the KSU NEHU Unit expressed optimism after the meeting, commending the committee for its attentive approach to their grievances.
NEHUSU President Sandy Sohtun remarked, “We have discussed and presented our presentation on what the VC had done over 3 years and even the memorandums we have written since 2022 to 2024 and submitted to them (govt). We have showcased the documents in which the VC had overshadowed everyone in this university.”
“We have sent a clear message that no matter what the outcome from this committee, we won’t allow the VC to step in this university ever again,” he stated.
Sohtun further added, “We are satisfied with the discussions and have submitted evidence showing the VC’s disregard for and marginalization of university stakeholders. However, the next steps will be decided in a joint meeting between NEHUSU and the KSU NEHU Unit. Until then, the agitation will continue, and no classes will resume.”
Students had temporarily suspended their indefinite hunger strike due to health concerns but pledged to continue their protests.
NEHUTA President Prof. Lakhon Kma stated, “We presented all concerns, highlighting the VC’s misconduct since his appointment, from recruitment irregularities to denying rightful appointments as Deans. His return is both untenable and unacceptable. Not only have NEHUTA, NEHUSU, and NEHUNSA declared him persona non grata, but even the Mawlai Town Dorbar has done so, barring him from entering the Greater Mawlai area.”
Prof. Kma emphasized, “We have underscored how the VC’s incompetence has plunged NEHU into a state of disrepair, a recovery that could take a decade. While the inquiry committee will finalize its findings, we categorically conveyed that his return is non-negotiable for the NEHU fraternity and the state of Meghalaya.”
Following the meeting, the inquiry committee inspected various campus facilities, including university buildings, the health center, roads, hostels, and the library. The team conducted spot inspections to assess the campus infrastructure.
The committee, comprising Prof. D.P. Singh, former UGC Chairman, and Prof. Dilip Chandra Nath, former Vice Chancellor of Assam University, is scheduled to return to Delhi on Tuesday. They will compile their findings into a report to be submitted by the November 29 deadline.