By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 6: The members of NEHUSU and KSU’s NEHU unit on Monday chased out registrar Colonel (retd) Omkar Singh from the university campus and locked the entrance door of the varsity’s administrative block.
The student bodies became angry when they learnt that the registrar had secretly entered the university campus and attended his office without informing anyone.
NEHUSU president Sandy Sohtun said they had rushed to the university in the morning after being alerted about the registrar’s entry. He said they had had approached the VC in-charge Prof N Saha and the latter said they had no information about Singh joining duties.
According to Sohtun, they had gone to the quarters of the registrar and saw him arranging his files and documents. “We told the registrar he should have sent someone to collect his files and documents since we do not want him to enter the university,” the NEHUSU president said.
He said they had chased him out of the university and locked the entry door of the administrative block. This is not the first time that the registrar had visited the university, Sohtun said.
“We are firm in our stand not to allow the registrar to again enter the university,” the NEHUSU president added.
It may be recalled that NEHU Vice Chancellor Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla has extended his earned leave till January 12 after his extended earned leave ended on December 29.
“In continuation of my email dated December 1, 2024 regarding my earned leave, I request an extension of the same from December 30 till January (with suffix December 11 & 12) due to the same circumstances,” Prof Shukla had written in an email addressed to the registrar on December 30.
He stated that in case there is any urgent academic or administrative matters, the registrar may reach him via phone or online/email. He further stated that the senior-most professor or Pro Vice Chancellor shall look after routine work of the university during his absence.
Prof Shukla had gone on leave in the face of a protest by the students against his alleged mismanagement and autocratic style of function. The students, who had staged a hunger strike for nearly three weeks, had the support of both teaching and non-teaching staff.
The VC had previously written to the Ministry of Education seeking “adequate security support from the central government” to resume his duties at NEHU but later extended his earned leave.