The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has sent a representation to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, to immediately intervene to solve the pending crisis in NEHU.
In the letter to Pradhan, the NESO stated that NEHU vice chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla is adamant to the woes and the appeals of the students, teachers and non-teaching staff since he took over the mantle.
According to the NESO, petitions after petitions were submitted to Prof. Shukla by the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) but he is least concerned in addressing the issues plaguing the university forcing NEHUSU and KSU NEHU Unit to resort to agitation in the form of an indefinite hunger strike in front of the vice chancellor’s office since November 5 seeking his ouster and of other officials.
“Whereas classes are disrupted due to the non-cooperation of the students, teachers and non-teaching staff, the health of the fasting students is also deteriorating day by day raising concern in the state regarding their well-being in the near future,” the NESO stated.
According to the NESO, the management of the university under the leadership of Prof. Shukla and registrar Omkar Singh has reached an untenable state, with significant and alarming consequences for the academic standards, infrastructure, and reputation of the institution.
It also stated that the decline in the university’s rankings is a stark reflection of the failure of the administration to fulfill its core responsibilities.
The NESO stated that prior to the appointment of Shukla as Vice-Chancellor, NEHU was consistently ranked within the top 60 universities nationally, however, under his leadership, the university’s ranking has plummeted to range between 100-150, a sharp decline in just three years.
“This drop in performance is an urgent cause for concern and calls for immediate corrective action,” the NESO stated.
It also said that the most glaring issues under Prof. Shukla’s leadership include acute shortage of infrastructure and manpower.
It stated that NEHU continues to suffer from severe shortages, including inadequate hostel facilities, poorly managed laboratories, and a lack of staff to maintain the smooth functioning of academic and administrative departments.
“Also despite having sanctioned posts that remain vacant, the vice chancellor has failed to take appropriate measures to fill these positions in a timely manner,” it added.
The NESO also alleged that Prof. Shukla has frequently announced recruitment drives precisely twice since he joined the university to fill vacant posts, only to have them cancelled without proper justification, creating a sense of false hope and disappointment among applicants.
“Such inconsistency undermines the integrity of the recruitment process and further damages the university’s credibility,” it stated.
The NESO also stated that there has been disruption of academic processes and the vice chancellor has failed to ensure the smooth functioning of the university’s academic and administrative activities, including the Academic Council meetings, which have been repeatedly disrupted and cancelled under his leadership.
It also alleged that the Registrar and Deputy Registrar are incompetent while also questioning the vice chancellor’s recent decisions to appoint individuals who have already reached the age of superannuation, including the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) as the Director of College Development Council (CDC) and the Guest House Incharge.
“Such irregularities in the recruitment process call into question the credibility and integrity of the administration,” NESO stated.
The NESO stated that these actions not only raise ethical concerns but also reflect a lack of long-term planning and foresight in building a competent and sustainable workforce for the future of the university.
“This issue is exacerbated by the absence of a pro vice chancellor for both the Shillong and Tura campuses. Prior to the vice chancellor’s tenure, both campuses had pro vice chancellors, who played an essential role in maintaining the smooth operation of each campus,” the NESO said.
