SHILLONG, May 27: Hopes of an end to the NEHU impasse have been dashed with the NEHU Teachers’ Association, NEHU Non-teaching Staff Association, and NEHU Students’ Union on Tuesday warning the executive members of the university’s executive council (EC) not to attend the upcoming meeting scheduled in New Delhi on May 30.
The meeting has been called by Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla.
In a letter addressed to the EC members, the three NEHU bodies warned that any member who ignores their appeal and attends the meeting would be seen as acting against the interests of the students, teachers, non-teaching staff, their associations/unions, and the university as a whole.
The executive members of the EC include four Deans of Schools (by seniority basis), the senior-most associate professor, the senior-most professor, two college principals, the Director of Higher Technical Education of the Meghalaya government, and two Pro-Vice Chancellors.
The three organisations expressed deep concern over the current state of affairs in the university, following Prof. Shukla’s decision to go on earned leave from November 15, 2024, based on advice from the Director of Higher Education. This leave was later extended until March 2025.
They noted that Prof. Shukla has yet to physically return to the NEHU headquarters in Shillong since the expiration of his leave.
“This amounts to a continuous absence from duty at NEHU headquarters for over 193 days (more than six months) consecutively. We also note that the Ministry of Education has not made public the inquiry committee’s report on Prof. Shukla’s conduct,” they stated.
Referring to media reports, they added that Prof. Shukla has made statements contradicting discussions and agreements made by NEHU stakeholders with the Ministry of Education officials during their visit to NEHU on May 22 for dialogues that had the potential to normalise the university’s situation.
According to the three organisations, Prof. Shukla also disrespected more than 135 members of the Academic Council who participated in the meeting chaired by Vice Chancellor in-charge Prof. Sherwin May Sungoh on May 21, through unfounded remarks.
“It should be emphasized that Prof. Shukla remains on leave and has not resumed duties at NEHU headquarters in Shillong for over six months, in violation of NEHU Act, Statutes, and Government of India leave rules. Therefore, the EC meeting convened by him in Delhi on May 30 is illegitimate,” the three statutory bodies added.
