The North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) and the North-Eastern Hill University Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA) on Friday gathered peacefully in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office to extend their unanimous support to Prof. Sherwin May Sungoh, who has officially assumed charge as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of NEHU.
The joint assembly—conducted without slogans, protests, or dissent—reflected the university community’s calm and collective acceptance of Prof. Sungoh’s leadership amid an ongoing administrative transition. Her decision to step down from the post of Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) of the Shillong Campus just 20 days after her appointment was widely welcomed by both associations, who viewed it as a step toward administrative clarity.
NEHUTA President Prof. Lakhon Kma stated, “She can perform all functions that of a regular Vice Chancellor,” while highlighting that although the Acting Vice Chancellor cannot amend the University’s Act, Statutes, Regulations, or Ordinances, she has full authority to convene statutory meetings of the Executive Council, Academic Council, and Finance Committee. She is also empowered to make temporary appointments and nominate a Pro Vice Chancellor.
“This was basically to thank our members, it was actually called to review the situation and since the situation is now that when she has resigned from Pro Vice Chancellor (PVC) and joined as this senior most professor, which we all wanted because it’s her time to be the senior most now, so here she has assumed the duty as the senior most professor so basically she is the Acting Vice Chancellor (VC) now not PVC, because as PVC she has already resigned,” said Prof. Kma.
He further added, “This is a very welcoming development where she has joined because we don’t have a VC and we don’t have a Pro VC here, so the senior most professor assumes the duties of the Vice Chancellor, which is basically much more better than PVC because PVC has to work under the direction of the VC and she has been delegated only few powers. But as Acting VC, she has full power to do everything a normal VC can do. And hence it is much better for NEHU that in absence of a regular Vice Chancellor, she will be the Vice Chancellor by default. NEHUTA and NEHUNSA have welcomed this move and we have extended our full cooperation to her so that she can achieve whatever she wants to do as a Vice Chancellor and then bring back normalcy to NEHU.”
He emphasized the historical context of the appointment by stating, “Because as you know that the PVC appointment was illegitimate, and we have already discarded it in the month of November 2024. So nothing has changed in that particular issue. But now that she has joined as the senior most professor and became the Acting Vice Chancellor, we extend our full cooperation and we wish her good luck so that she can really perform well and do much better than the earlier Acting VC who couldn’t do much officially.”
Prof. Kma acknowledged that Prof. Sungoh’s appointment under Statute 2(A)(5)(i)—as the senior-most professor—ensures continuity in leadership at a critical juncture for NEHU. Her role now includes overseeing key governance processes and convening the Academic Council meeting.
Although Prof. Sungoh was on official duty in Tura on Friday, her formal communication assuming the role of Acting Vice-Chancellor was sent to DK Himanshu, Under Secretary to the Ministry of Education. In her email, she wrote: “I will function as the Vice Chancellor in-charge with immediate effect, with adequate administrative and financial authority.” A copy was also shared with the incumbent Vice Chancellor, Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla.
The demonstration of unity from both teaching and non-teaching associations marked a pivotal moment for the university, signalling renewed hope for institutional stability and collaborative progress under Prof. Sungoh’s stewardship.