The Centre finds itself increasingly cornered as protests at Tezpur University intensify over vice-chancellor (VC) Sambhu Nath Singh’s prolonged absence and allegations of corruption, prompting demands for his removal and a central intervention to restore normalcy.
The agitation, led jointly by students, teaching and non-teaching staff, has crippled the central university — established in 1994 as a key outcome of the 1985 Assam Accord — with academic and administrative functioning paralysed since September 21. Tempers soared after the authorities conducted regular classes and student council
elections despite the state mourning declared over the death of singer-composer Zubeen Garg.
On Tuesday, Independent Rajya Sabha MP from Assam Ajit Kumar Bhuyan raised the matter during Zero Hour, urging the Union education ministry to intervene. He said the campus had witnessed “continuous dharna and protests” over alleged “omissions and commissions” by the administration, adding that “the VC has not been on campus for nearly two months” and “no sincere attempt” had been made to resolve the impasse. He cautioned the government against extraneous considerations in appointing VCs, stressing that the role demands sensitivity and accountability.
Assam governor Gulab Chand Kataria, the chancellor of the university, has already constituted a fact-finding committee to probe complaints of irregularities, including alleged corruption in procurement, violation of labour laws and questionable recruitment of security personnel. In the Lok Sabha, Congress member Pradyut Bordoloi sought to know whether the government had received the inquiry report and if it was true that “large-scale irregularities” had been flagged. Minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar confirmed receipt of the report but did not share its findings.
Top education ministry sources said the Centre was “in a fix” about how to handle the crisis because Singh was reportedly well-connected in the BJP–RSS circles. Two informal options are under consideration — advising him to go on indefinite leave or requesting his resignation. “The main issue is how you behave with students and your colleagues,” an official said.
The situation worsened in October when acting registrar Pritam Dev resigned, followed on Monday by the finance officer stepping down amid swirling allegations of corruption and “mismanagement” by individuals close to the VC.
By Tuesday evening, the protest gained momentum with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leading a 1.5km torchlight rally in Tezpur town. Students from the university and members of nearly 10 civil organisations participated, underscoring the symbolic importance of the institution created after “the sacrifice of hundreds of lives” during the Assam agitation.
Protesters reiterated their demands: the VC’s removal, appointment of an acting vice-chancellor and a high court judge-led inquiry into all allegations. “The VC has not been seen on campus for over two months. Functioning has collapsed. Both central and state governments must intervene,” a protester said.
Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha member Bhuyan’s remarks amplified the concerns raised locally. He said several “facts and information” suggesting corruption had surfaced, including alleged tender manipulation, inflated quotations for library resources, and possible vendor collusion.
As pressure mounted, the university administration on Tuesday postponed all examinations scheduled from December 3 to 8. A notification said the decision was taken after discussions with deans, heads of departments, student representatives and teachers’ bodies. Common course exams will follow a fresh schedule, while department-wise exams will be reorganised internally.
The district administration had already ordered a magisterial inquiry in early September after allegations that university authorities showed “disrespect” during the state mourning for Zubeen Garg — an incident that marked the beginning of simmering resentment against the VC.
The ongoing Tezpur turmoil is not the only administrative challenge confronting the Centre. The government is also grappling with a similar crisis at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), where VC Prabha Shankar Shukla was recently sent on forced leave following sustained protests.
For Tezpur University, however, the nexus of emotional legacy, administrative mistrust, and political history has made the crisis particularly sensitive. The AASU reminded that the university itself symbolised the hard-won gains of the 1985 accord, and any perception of mismanagement or indifference touched an emotional nerve across Assam.