Guwahati, Nov 12: The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), representing eight student bodies, has sought the intervention of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resolve the ongoing crisis at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Meghalaya.
The situation has escalated with an indefinite hunger strike by the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) NEHU Unit since November 4, demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla and key university officials. The students’ unions allege that the VC’s tenure has been plagued by mismanagement, lack of transparency, and failure to address the needs of the university community, impacting students, faculty, and staff alike.
In addition to the VC’s removal, the unions are calling for the dismissal of Registrar Col. Omkar Singh, Deputy Registrar Amit Gupta, and other staff members they consider ineffective and responsible for the university’s decline.
In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, NESO chairman Samuel B. Jyrwa and secretary general Mutsikhoyo Yhobu highlighted a complete administrative breakdown at NEHU amid the ongoing indefinite strike by students.
NESO expressed deep concern over the impact of the strike, noting that classes have been disrupted due to a lack of cooperation from students, teachers, and non-teaching staff. The deteriorating health of fasting students has further raised alarm about their well-being.
The students’ unions argue that NEHU’s management under Prof. Shukla and Col. Singh has reached an unsustainable state, with serious consequences for academic standards, infrastructure, and the institution’s reputation.
NESO pointed to a marked decline in NEHU’s national ranking, which dropped from the top 60 to between 100 and 150 since Prof. Shukla’s appointment. This decline, they assert, reflects administrative failures and calls for urgent corrective action.
The NESO expressed frustration over what it described as a persistent failure by VC Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla to address critical issues at NEHU. Despite repeated attempts to communicate student concerns through memorandums and demands, the unions allege that the VC’s dismissive attitude and lack of proactive measures have fostered widespread dissatisfaction and distrust within the university community.
Among the pressing issues are severe shortages in essential facilities, including insufficient hostel accommodations, poorly maintained laboratories, and an overall lack of staff necessary to keep academic and administrative functions running smoothly.
Although several positions have been sanctioned, the unions report that the VC has failed to expedite hiring processes. Recruitment drives announced on two separate occasions were abruptly cancelled without explanation, leading to disappointment and eroding trust in the university’s commitment to fair hiring practices.
The NESO further criticized the VC’s management of NEHU’s academic affairs, noting that key meetings, such as those of the Academic Council, have been repeatedly disrupted or cancelled under his leadership. This inconsistency has, according to the unions, severely impacted the confidence of students and faculty in the VC’s ability to effectively guide the university through its current challenges.
The student body expressed concerns over administrative appointments and recruitment practices at NEHU are escalating among students and faculty, particularly regarding the qualifications and procedural transparency surrounding certain key positions. Col. Omkar Singh’s appointment as Registrar is a primary point of contention. With a military background and limited academic experience, Singh’s tenure, especially as the in-charge Controller of Examinations, has been marked by delays in exam scheduling and result declaration, which critics argue demonstrates a lack of administrative efficacy needed for a university setting.
The NESO said in the letter that scrutiny surrounds Deputy Registrar (Academics) Amit Gupta’s appointment. Gupta was initially deemed ineligible during a 2022 recruitment drive due to insufficient experience but was later appointed to the same role in 2024, sparking questions about the consistency and fairness of the recruitment process. Such discrepancies have cast doubt on the administration’s credibility and have led students and faculty to demand greater transparency.
The NESI further said the VC’s decisions to appoint individuals who have already reached retirement age, including the Officer on Special Duty for the Director of the College Development Council (CDC) and the Guest House Incharge, are viewed as short-sighted. They argued that these appointments indicate a lack of strategic workforce planning, which could impede NEHU’s future growth and stability. In 2023, a controversial appointment of Rohit Prasad as the Vice-Chancellor’s advisor, made without an open selection process, prompted resistance from the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which represents both students and faculty. This opposition eventually led to Prasad’s removal. Further concerns have been raised about the newly created Campus Director role for NEHU’s Tura campus, bypassing the usual Pro-Vice-Chancellor position, which remains unfilled. This move, made without a formal or transparent process, has fueled additional scepticism, with stakeholders questioning whether such administrative practices align with the university’s established norms and commitment to academic integrity.
NESO has voiced strong support for NEHUSU and KSU’s demands, stressing that immediate reforms are essential to restore NEHU’s academic standards and operational stability. NESO insists that the university’s administration requires urgent restructuring to regain NEHU’s former reputation for excellence.
