North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Vice Chancellor (VC), Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla on Tuesday invited the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) for talks to resolve the long-pending issues raised by the teachers’ body.
On Tuesday, the NEHUTA had planned to organise an agitational programme by assembling in front of the Library building at 2 pm after which they were to march towards the VC’s office in protest.
NEHUTA president, Prof Lakhon Kma some of the pending issues which are yet to be resolved include arbitrary appointment/reappointment of Deans of various schools violating the NEHU Statute and the established practice of appointment of Deans by rotation according to seniority, long-pending Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) cases for all stages including from Stage 5 to 6 (senior professor) and opening of envelopes concerning correction of date of promotion of faculty members.
After their meeting with the NEHU VC, Prof Kma said that although the association was somewhat satisfied with the clarification of Prof Shukla but a sore point still remains and that is the reappointment of Prof C. Mawlong as Dean of School of Social Sciences.
“Prof C. Mawlong was earlier appointed as Dean and after her tenure ended she was appointed as the Head and again she was reappointed as Dean. This is illegal because there are 20 professors who are senior to her as if there are no more Professors in the School. The VC could not clarify on her reappointment,” the NEHUTA president said.
Prof Kma informed that the Executive Committee of the NEHUTA will take a decision on how to go forward on this issue.
He said that the NEHUTA will not allow this to happen at any cost since it deprives those who are next in line since it is their right and the University’s regulation states that Deans are appointed by rotation according to seniority.
On the issue of CAS cases the VC told the teachers’ body that the University has started with stages 1 to 2 and 2 to 3.
Prof Shukla informed them that he will finish first with the non-teaching staff and by July and finally come to the promotion of the teaching staff.
Prof Kma informed that the delegation of the teachers told the VC that they will meet him again after July 30 to follow up on the matter.
On the issue of opening envelopes concerning the correction of the date of promotion of faculty members which has been laying for years, the NEHUTA president said that the matter could not be resolved in the meeting today.
He said that the teachers’ body will meet the VC again after July 30 to find out what the Executive Council of the University do on the matter.