Nearly three months after protests erupted on the Tezpur University campus, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has stepped in, asking Vice Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh to proceed on leave and ordering an enquiry into the allegations against him.
Students and teachers have been agitating since mid-September, accusing the VC of multiple irregularities. On Monday, the protesters marked 100 days of their movement with a 24-hour hunger strike, pressing once again for Singh’s removal.
“A three-member enquiry panel has been set up to probe into all matters pertaining to the ongoing situation in Tezpur University including allegations levelled against the Vice Chancellor. The VC shall recuse himself from all duties and proceed on leave immediately and shall remain on leave till the completion of enquiry,” a senior MoE official said.
The enquiry panel has been asked to submit its report within a maximum of three months.
It will be headed by Manipur University Vice Chancellor N Lokendra Singh, with Nagaland University Vice Chancellor Jagadish Kumar Patnaik and UGC Secretary Manish R Joshi as members.
In the interim, the ministry has appointed Amrendra Kumar Das from IIT Guwahati’s Department of Design as the Pro Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University.
Earlier this month, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had spoken to Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging him to appoint a Pro Vice Chancellor at the earliest to restore academic stability on campus.
Tezpur University, one of the two central universities in Assam established in 1994 under the Assam Accord of 1985, has been in turmoil since September 27 last year.
Calls for the VC’s removal have grown louder over time, with students and faculty citing administrative and financial concerns.
Tensions on campus intensified after students accused the VC and the university administration of failing to show due respect to cultural icon Zubeen Garg while the state was mourning his death.
Protesters have also raised objections over alleged deforestation and ecological damage on the campus during Singh’s tenure.
The situation worsened on September 22, when heated scenes were reported following an exchange of words between the VC and students.
Singh later stayed away from the campus after the incident, which witnesses said escalated to the point where he nearly had to flee the spot.
Since the protests began, at least 11 faculty members and senior officials have either resigned from their positions or left the university, adding to concerns over academic functioning.