Shillong, Jan 23: Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui has urged Prof Sumarbin Umdor, who had resigned as Pro Vice-Chancellor of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), to resume his duty as Pro-VC to help resolve the ongoing administrative crisis at the central university.
The Education Minister also stated that Prof Umdor’s resignation letter dated December 15 last year has not been accepted yet.
“I request Dr Sumarbin Umdor to resume his duty so that the administration in Shillong campus should at least be going whatever it is,” Rymbui told reporters on Friday while highlighting the impact of the ongoing stalemate in academic activities and salary matters.
The appeal from the minister came in the wake of a joint delegation of NEHUSU, KSU-Unit, NEHUNSA and NEHUTA meeting chief minister Conrad K Sangma and the education minister to call for the state government’s intervention to resolve the crisis.
Highlighting the prolonged absence – over 400 days – of NEHU Vice-Chancellor Prof Prabha Shukla, the delegation had demanded the Pro-VC of NEHU Tura Campus to take over as Acting VC of the university.
Rymbui informed that the state government have taken up with the central government see that this impasse in NEHU should end at the earliest.
However, he said, the Union Education Ministry has not yet issued any instruction to resolve the matter.
Informing that the Pro-VC’s resignation was not accepted yet, Rymbui said, “We also came to know that there is a constraint for the Pro-VC of Tura to come here to Shillong (to perform as acting VC).”
He admitted that absence of the Pro-VC in Shillong is going to affect the NEHU on many fronts, including academics, salary payment for contractual or muster roll staff, etc.
“It will affect up to 70 affiliated colleges in the state,” he added.
Without any permanent solution in sight and the Pro-VC’s resignation yet to be accepted, the minister said, “I request that he (Prof Umdor) should resume his duty so that normal transaction and normal administration of the Shillong campus should run smoothly.”
“I am hopeful that the central government and ministry of education will come up with a permanent solution,” he said.
