The Meghalaya Tribal Teachers Association (MeTTA) has unanimously resolved to support the joint action committee (JAC) that has been formed to save NEHU from the “irregular acts” of Vice-Chancellor Prof PS Shukla.
The JAC was formed by the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) and NEHU Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA) and they had sought the support of likeminded bodies.
Shukla has been under fire over the way NEHU has gone about introducing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the state’s affiliated colleges, which will mean the introduction of four-year undergraduate courses. NEHUTA has said that Shukla went over the heads of the varsity’s Academic Council (AC) in pushing through the implementation of the NEP this year. Other allegations against Shukla include delay in appointing a Registrar and Finance Officer, irregular appointment of a staff member in the VC’s office, that he has done nothing to make the health centre functional or to fill vacant teaching positions, that he has tolerated corrupt officials and that the university is slow in clearing bills, etc.
The MeTTA-NEHU in its emergent general body meeting unanimously resolved to extend full support to the JAC “so as to safeguard the local causes and concerns, to prevent any more infringement and abuse of power by the present Vice-Chancellor,” a statement said today.
The meeting has also resolved to seek clarifications from the office of the VC on the selection and appointments of teachers for the different positions, such as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor.