Pressure mounts on NEHU to sack Registrar, other ‘illegal’ appointees
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 30: Amid pressure is mounting on NEHU Vice Chancellor Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla to remove Registrar (Retd.) Colonel Omkar Singh, along with other alleged illegal appointees, the VC stated on Wednesday that he is prepared to face any inquiry against him.
“I can constitute an inquiry to investigate the allegations against me, or perhaps the government could establish an inquiry committee. I am open to any kind of inquiry,” Prof. Shukla said while addressing the students protesting outside his office.
In response to the students’ demand for the termination of the Registrar and other officials, he explained that dismissing any employee is not straightforward, as it must follow established rules and regulations.
He noted that the students have not submitted any evidence to suggest that the Registrar or Deputy Registrar is involved in any forgery. “If you have documents against them, please submit them to me,” Prof. Shukla urged the students.
Meanwhile, Prof. Shukla mentioned that letters have already been sent to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) regarding the appointments of the Registrar and others. “I will comply with any directive I receive from the government, in accordance with established norms and regulations. I am awaiting guidance from the government,” he added.
NEHU emphasised that without substantial grounds, it is beyond the Vice Chancellor’s authority to terminate anyone’s services.
Prof. Shukla also appealed to the students to unlock the chambers of both the Registrar and Deputy Registrar, as the ongoing blockade is disrupting the university’s operations. According to him, the salaries of casual employees are delayed due to files being inaccessible in the Registrar and Deputy Registrar’s chambers.
The NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the KSU NEHU Unit have issued an ultimatum to the Vice Chancellor, giving him until midnight of November 4 to terminate the services of the Registrar and all alleged illegal appointees. Additionally, the student bodies are calling on the Vice Chancellor to appoint Pro Vice Chancellors for the two university campuses in Shillong and Tura.
NEHUSU general secretary, Toniho S Kharsati, warned that failure to address these issues will compel the union to consider further actions in the best interests of the student community.
On Wednesday, student union members gathered outside the Vice Chancellor’s office, chanting slogans against Prof. Shukla and the Registrar.
The students demanded that the Vice Chancellor step out to assure them that he would meet their demands by the deadline. Responding to the pressure, Prof. Shukla briefly emerged from his office.
In a memorandum submitted to the Vice Chancellor, NEHUSU demanded the removal of the Registrar, Deputy Registrar, Officer on Special Duty, Director of College Development Council, and Guest House In-Charge. In the memorandum, NEHUSU president Sandy Sohtun expressed serious concerns about the appointment of retired Col. Omkar Singh as Registrar, citing his military background and limited experience in academic administration. “His tenure as Controller of Examinations was marked by delays in result declarations, jeopardising students’ careers,” Sohtun said.
He pointed out that issues escalated during the CUET Undergraduate examination on May 15, 2024, which Col. Singh oversaw, resulting in chaos and confusion among students and parents, with conditions likened to a stampede.
“Additionally, there are serious concerns regarding favoritism in appointments,” Sohtun added, referencing a recent case in which a candidate, Amit Gupta, initially lacking essential qualifications in 2022, was later deemed the “most qualified” in 2023, raising questions about the integrity of the hiring process.
Sohtun further questioned the appointment of Amit Gupta as Deputy Registrar. “A person found unfit in the 2022 recruitment process due to lack of experience later became qualified in the 2023 recruitment. Such appointments reflect serious violations of fairness and equity,” he said.
The NEHUSU president also criticised the appointment of Dr Debashish Chowdhary as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for the College Development Council, following his retirement as Controller of Examinations. He noted that Dr. Chowdhary had significantly exceeded the upper age limit for such positions, making this appointment highly objectionable.
On the demand for appointment of Pro Vice Chancellors in both NEHU campuses (Shillong and Tura), Sohtun said. “The Vice Chancellor’s frequent absences, often justified by official visits, have yielded no tangible benefits for the university and have hindered administrative efficiency,” he said. “The prolonged absence of Pro Vice Chancellors at both campuses over the past three years has seriously disrupted NEHU’s administrative efficiency and operational effectiveness.”
MeTTA-NEHU backs demands
The Meghalaya Tribal Teachers’ Association, North-Eastern Hill University (MeTTA-NEHU) on Wednesday endorsed the demands of the North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA).
The MeTTA-NEHU expressed concern over the state of affairs in the NEHU on matters relating to alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Registrar and the two Deputy Registrars.
Claiming that the trio has no knowledge of the rules, regulations and administrative procedures, the MeTTA-NEHU said the same was reflected in many official correspondences which they issued from time to time.
“As per sources, it is learnt that there were many qualified and experienced candidates serving in different departments of the state government who applied for the posts but were rejected. However, a mediocre, Amit Gupta, who has no experience in university administration, was appointed as a Deputy Registrar,” the association said.
The association also said it learnt that during a recent process for appointment in contractual posts in the Integrated Teacher Education Programme of NEHU, many qualified candidates were not called for interview while candidates who were not qualified were appointed.
“Considering the current disturbing situation in NEHU, MeTTA-NEHU endorses the demand of NEHUSU to terminate the services of the Registrar, Col (retired) Omkar Singh and the NEHUTA’s demand for the removal of the two newly-appointed Deputy Registrars who were found to be incompetent and unfit to run the administration,” the association added.