SHILLONG, Aug 6: Is NEHU Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla trying to mislead one and all by claiming that the university’s academic council (AC) has no authority to decide on the execution of the National Education Policy (NEP) since the power lies with the executive council (EC)?
Did NEHU professor and member of the NEP 2020 implementation committee of NEHU, Ghanshyam Bez also make a misleading statement that the EC has delegated power to the Vice Chancellor to decide on NEP implementation by claiming that the AC has no mandate to decide on the matter?
The answer could likely be in the affirmative if a section of college teachers are to be believed.
“If the Vice Chancellor has claimed that the AC passed the resolution for implementation of the NEP, why was this not reflected in the minutes of the 110th academic council meeting?” they questioned.
The college teachers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, claimed that during the 110th AC meeting only the syllabi for the first and semesters were hurriedly framed and passed.
“Can a syllabus passed in June be implemented by August of the same year?” they questioned again.
These college teachers wondered how they would be able to spare the time for training and questioned how they would be able to attend the training at NEHU and run the classes for the first semester under FYUP, all at the same time.
Incidentally, the North-Eastern Hill University Act, 1973 and the Statutes of the University is very clear with regard to delegation of power between the academic council and the executive council. A perusal of the Act and the Statues makes it crystal clear that the EC has no power or authority to decide on policy matters without the approval of the AC.
As per the Act and the Statues, the AC has the power to exercise general supervision over the academic policies of the University and to give directions regarding methods of instruction, co-operative teaching among colleges and institutions, evaluation of research or improvements in academic standards.
The VC has the power to consider matters of general academic interest either on its own initiative or on a reference by a school or the executive council and to take appropriate action thereon.
It may be added here that while speaking to a section of reporters, the NEHU VC had reiterated that the 105th executive council had approved the adoption of the NEP in its meeting held in 2020, while adding that the decision was taken based on the recommendations of the 104th academic council.
He said the 104th academic council meeting had also approved the setting up of a task force for the effective implementation of the NEP.
Shukla had also clarified that the academic council had only approved the rules and regulations and the ordinance for the implementation of the NEP.
“The academic council is not in a position to take a decision on the execution of the NEP. The decision to implement the policy lies with the executive council,” he had said.