North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) students skipped classes en masse to agitate on the Shillong campus about a slew of unresolved issues today.
Led by the NEHU Students Union, the agitated and restless students gathered with their homemade posters and placards to protest against the varsity administration and especially against the Vice-Chancellor, Prof PS Shukla, who they accuse of not having done enough since he took charge in the middle of last year.
NEHUSU has previously written to the administration on a diverse range of issues, such as clean water in hostels, better hostel food, WiFi connectivity, better facilities in the libraries and even a functional health centre.
The students gathered in front of the central library and progressed towards the administrative building. Slogans were chanted by the students, who demanded the VC resign if their demands are not fulfilled.
After a long delay, in which office staff tried to placate the students, Shukla eventually came out of the building and spoke to the students, though he may have instantly regretted doing so.
Shukla tried to explain to the students that he has not had enough time in the role as VC to effect much change (he took charge in July) but that statement was completely rebuffed by the students.
All of his other statements were similarly displeasing to the students. For example, concerning the demand for staff vacancies to be filled up and to appoint a pro Vice-Chancellor, Shukla said that the teachers’ post has already been advertised and the process is going on but he could not give a timeline, as the students demanded.
“I just joined a few months ago, and to solve all the issues immediately is not possible. I am already doing the work in the interest of the university and students,” Shukla stated, while denying the charge that he does not spend enough time in his office.
Confronted with video evidence of filthy water flowing from NEHU hostel taps, the VC promised to provide written assurances on the student demands, which he did later.
The NEHU Registrar rushed off a letter to NEHUSU stating that the VC has “consented” to resolve five listed issues within 15 days. These are to ensure WiFi connectivity in hostels, arrangements for more buses to ferry students, maintenance of quality food and water in hostels, ensure availability of medicines at the health centre and initiate repair work in the hostels.
Other student demands, however, were not referred to, such as that of faculty or the library.
