SHILLONG, NOV 10: The Vice-Chancellor of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla on Saturday made an appeal to the agitating university students to call off their ongoing agitation and engage in open dialogue, only to be met with stiff resistance by the angry students who want nothing less than his ouster before holding any dialogue.
The university remains under total lockdown following the ongoing indefinite hunger strike led by the North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU), that is backed by the NEHU unit of the Khasi Students Union (KSU – NEHU Unit). The protestors want the resignation of the VC and termination of the Registrar and Deputy Registrar, whose appointments according to them were “illegal”.
Since the launch of the hunger strike, several students have been taken to hospital.
In a statement, Prof Shukla reiterated his willingness to address all concerns raised by students, stating that he remains deeply committed to the well-being of NEHU’s students and the advancement of the institution.
Expressing his concern for the health and welfare of the students, Prof Shukla highlighted his previous attempts to reach out and communicate with them, emphasizing that he holds no animosity toward them and wishes only for their success and development. “I am here to resolve all the issues raised and meet the demands put forth by the students in a fair and transparent manner,” he said. Despite his efforts to engage with the students, Prof. Shukla reported that he has been confined to his residence, restricted from fully accessing the campus, which he described as a distressing situation.
As a crucial step to address the students’ concerns, the Vice-Chancellor has proposed an emergent meeting of the Executive Council (EC), initially intended to be convened earlier but delayed due to restrictions. He has urged students to permit the EC meeting to proceed on Monday, November 11, 2024, which would enable him to take immediate action on pressing matters, including the appointment of a Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the formation of an inquiry committee to review the appointments of the Registrar and Deputy Registrar.
Since his appointment, Prof. Shukla has been dedicated to advancing NEHU’s standards, especially through initiatives in skill development, entrepreneurship, and employment opportunities. Under his guidance, NEHU has introduced new skill development programs at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Community College (DDUCC) in Wahiajer and expanded similar programs to the Tura campus, which has also seen the emergence of new start-ups, a press statement reads.
Additionally, Prof Shukla said that he has also work hard to start recruitment efforts at NEHU, a process that had been on hold for nearly a decade before his tenure.
Prof Shukla once again appealed to the students saying “My only aim is to see NEHU flourish and for our students to succeed. I am ready to address every concern in a spirit of compromise,” He said as he urged the students to participate in constructive dialogue and allow the university to take the necessary steps toward resolution.
Speaking to reporters, NEHUSU general secretary Toniho Kharsati said, “We don’t have anything else to talk to the VC of NEHU. Now, our main demand is that the VC should immediately resign.”
He also reiterated the need to terminate the Registrar and Deputy Registrar for their alleged “incompetency”.
He claimed that though the students of NEHU have been on hunger strike for more than 90 hours at the main entrance of the Administrative Block yet the VC has not been willing to come and talk or ask about the health and wellbeing.
“Therefore, our main agenda of protest is that the VC should first steop down and only after that will we be ready to discuss our other demands. Students no longer have confidence in the VC. Hence, we want him to leave NEHU,” Kharsati said.
“After the resignation of the VC and after he leaves the university, we will come to the negotiating table,” he added further.
