Two student bodies of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) have jointly requested the voluntary resignation of the varsity’s Shillong campus pro-vice-chancellor, Prof. Sherwin May Sungoh, as her appointment was “not” carried out per the prescribed procedures.

In a joint representation requesting her to resign on Tuesday, the North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), NEHU Unit, claimed her “appointment to this position was not carried out in accordance with the prescribed procedures outlined in the NEHU statutes and was subsequently declared null and void by the then vice-chancellor in-charge in November 2024”.

A leading institute of the Northeast, NEHU has been in turmoil since November when its vice-chancellor, Prof. Shukla, who issued the appointment letter, went on prolonged leave since November 3 following a sustained student protest against him over alleged academic and administrative irregularities under his watch.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma had on Tuesday said the state government was engaging with stakeholders directly and indirectly to find a solution to the demand for the removal of Shukla. NEHU is a central university established in 1973.

The student bodies said: “This continued absence (of Shukla) — now exceeding 150 days — has undermined the legitimacy of any administrative decisions made during this period. The letter of appointment itself references Statute 3 of NEHU, which mandates procedures that were not observed in either letter or spirit.”

The student bodies added that the issue had been raised in Parliament by state MPs.