NEHU students have sought a response from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on the findings of the inquiry committee constituted to probe into the alleged administrative failures in the university.
The two-member inquiry committee headed by former University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Prof. D P Singh was constituted by the Education Ministry to solve the long-standing issues that have disrupted normal university activities and finding a way forward for the institution when the student unions went on a 16-hunger strike to demand the removal of Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla.
The North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) NEHU Unit today said they had suspended the hunger strike after an assurance that the committee would carry out an inquiry for the ministry to take corrective action against the prevailing mismanagement.
The union said four months have passed there has been no official communication from the ministry on the findings or measures taken.
Stating that the student community, along with faculty and non-teaching staff, feels unheard and disregarded, the union said, “As the primary stakeholders of the university, students expect transparency and accountability in matters that directly impact their academic environment and welfare. The prolonged silence from the Ministry has only deepened the uncertainty and frustration among the students, raising serious concerns about the commitment to resolving these long-standing issues,” the unions said.
“Adding to our distress, Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla has claimed to have officially resumed office from Delhi as of March 3, 2025. Reports suggest that he informed the Acting Registrar of his resumption of duties while stating that he would be in Delhi for official engagements from March 3–5. This announcement has come as a profound shock to both NEHUSU and KSU NEHU Unit,” they added.
Stating in the fifty-year history of NEHU, there has been no precedent of a Vice-Chancellor resuming duties virtually without physically returning from earned leave, that Shukla has been availing for nearly four months, the unions said, “It is highly concerning that despite the absence of any official response from the Ministry regarding the committee’s report, Prof. Shukla has unilaterally declared his return.”
They added, “Such an action is unprecedented, unacceptable, and further erodes the confidence of the student community in the administration’s integrity.
If this continued silence persists, students may be left with no choice but to resume hunger strikes or take alternative measures to ensure that their grievances are addressed. Under no circumstances will the student community accept Prof. Shukla’s reinstatement at North-Eastern Hill University. His past actions and administrative failures cannot be overlooked, and the students remain resolute in their opposition to his return.”
The unions have further urged the ministry to provide a prompt response, disclose the committee’s findings, and take decisive action to restore faith in the governance of NEHU.
