SHILLONG, March 12: The NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) has criticised Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla for his “personal agendas” remarks against the professors of the university, who he blamed for the ongoing unrest in the university.
NEHUTA president, Lakhon Kma on Wednesday stated that Shukla’s academic calibre is insufficient for addressing the problems in NEHU, and challenged him to a face-off over the NEHU issues.
Kma also alleged that Shukla has flouted various rules and regulations, including the Government of India leave rules, UGC Regulations 2018, Model Cadre Recruitment rules, NEHU Act, Statutes, and Ordinances.
“Shukla has done nothing notable in his three-and-half years as VC except for few routine things. He has appointed unqualified and undeserving Registrar, Deputy Registrars, and faculty members, including retired teachers, which ultimately led to his downfall,” Kma claimed, adding that Shukla carried out his hidden agenda of appointing select candidates from a certain region, bulldozing all qualified local tribal candidates from Meghalaya and the Northeastern region.
Kma said that Shukla never wanted the flourishing of researchers and teachers and sat over all cases of deserving promotion so that NEHU’s rank went down. He also claimed that Shukla only spoiled NEHU with blatant violation of all rules, nepotism, and other such nefarious hidden agendas.
“During his tenure, Shukla did not listen to constructive criticism and valuable suggestions from associations like NEHUTA, NEHUNSA, or NEHUSU for smooth running of the university. Teachers could not meet him on important matters and had to take appointments.
Kma recalled that Shukla promised to appoint Pro-VCs for Shillong and Tura campuses within six months but never thought of it for more than three years until students demanded his resignation. He also created an arbitrary post of Campus Director for Tura, which does not exist in the rule book of NEHU or UGC.
Kma accused Shukla of incompetence and ill-gotten designs, leading to complete destabilization of NEHU. He claimed that there is no regular Controller of Examinations, Finance Officer, Registrar, and regular VC as well. In the last three-and-half years, he did not conduct the recruitment of non-teaching posts whose advertisement has already lapsed, and applicants are demanding the refund of the fees, Kma claimed.
Kma recalled that due to his anti-local actions, the Mawlai Town Dorbar had declared him a persona non grata and put a ban on entry in the greater Mawlai area.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Education is currently examining the report of the inquiry committee on Shukla’s wrongdoings.
The NEHUTA president claimed that Shukla has not been absolved from the charges and is trying to give a clean chit to himself.
“He has been on leave for the last 130 days and has not joined or reported to the NEHU Headquarters in Shillong after his leave,” he stated, adding that the stakeholders are committed to the welfare of NEHU and will leave it to the public to judge his incompetence, arrogance, and hidden agenda.
