Okhil Kumar Medhi

Aug. 18: The chancellor of Gauhati University and Assam Governor Shiv Charan Mathur today made the appointment of acting vice-chancellor Okhil Kumar Medhi permanent.

A Raj Bhavan official said the appointment would come into effect immediately after Medhi takes over charge as the permanent and full-time vice-chancellor.

He said the governor gave the seal of approval on the appointment of Medhi after a three-member selection committee nominated Medhi’s name along with senior Assam police officer P.M. Dastidar and the director of the Academic Staff College of Gauhati University, Krishna Gopal Bhattacharyya.

The state government constituted the vice-chancellor selection committee comprising former chief secretary P.K. Dutta, retired bureaucrat Bhaskar Barua and former vice-chancellor of Dibrugarh University Kulendu Pathak.

On May 19, the then Governor Ajai Singh appointed Medhi, the head of the chemistry department and senior most teacher of Gauhati University as the acting vice-chancellor.

Medhi was appointed after Amarjyoti Choudhury resigned from the post of vice-chancellor citing the state government’s apathy towards development of the university.

Medhi could not be contacted for comment. But teachers and students were happy over the appointment as Medhi is highly respected for his academic brilliance and integrity in the university.

The GU Teachers’ Association has welcomed the appointment of Medhi as permanent vice-chancellor and decided to give him their full cooperation to run the university in a smooth manner.

Jogen Chandra Kalita, general secretary of GUTA, said the teachers have full confidence in the academic and administrative capabilities of Medhi to run an institution like Gauhati University. He said Medhi would be able to give a new direction and leadership to the university.

“The university had been passing through a difficult and uncertain phase since the resignation of Amarjyoti Choudhury. The appointment of a permanent vice-chancellor was an urgent need in view of the execution of various development projects of the university,” Kalita said.