‘The VC has done nothing for the promotion of teachers and he is promoting the ones he favours’
SHILLONG: North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) organised a ‘silent protest’ on the university campus on Wednesday to express its displeasure over the ‘style of functioning’ of the Vice-Chancellor, SK Srivastava.
NEHUTA members carried placards outside the multi-purpose hall where the University Court meeting was supposed to be held.
NEHUTA general secretary MM Khymdeit said that they want to send a strong message that the teaching community is not happy with the ‘style of functioning’ of the Vice-Chancellor.
According to him, Srivastava has not given the annual grant to NEHUTA due to the decision of the teachers’ body to boycott the last convocation.
He also said that the VC has tried to invoke statute 44 (3) by accusing NEHUTA of trying to damage the university.
“We called for boycott of convocation because he had not called the meeting of the University Court. It is mandatory that the meeting should be convened to place all the accounts and budget estimates of the university.”
“The accounts and budget estimates of the university would be placed before the Parliament after the approval of the University Court,” NEHUTA general secretary said.
Khymdeit alleged that the VC had sent the annual report, audit and the account of the university to the Parliament bypassing the University Court.
Stating that the VC has no right to block the annual grant of NEHUTA since he is just an executive officer, he informed that such major decision can be taken either by the Executive Council or the University Court.
“In the University Court meeting, all the annual reports of the university have to be placed. But the VC has failed to place the annual reports for the year 2016-2017, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019,” he said adding it was a violating of the Act of the university.
He said that all these years the vice chancellor has done nothing and has not even called the meeting of the Board of Research Studies to look after all the research work in the university. He added that the meeting of the board is mandatory to be convened every year to look into the research work being done in the university.
Khymdeit further stated that the VC is not taking initiative for the academic growth of the university.
“There are so many departments in the Science block which are struggling since they are not receiving any funds. The fund which was earmarked has been reduced and curtailed,” he said.
“The VC has done nothing for the promotion of teachers and he is promoting the ones he favours,” Khymdeit further alleged.