By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 17: After Prof Sumarbin Umdor resigned as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Shillong campus of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), pressure now mounts on Tura campus Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Fameline K. Marak to follow suit.
Citing the prevailing administrative crisis at the institution, the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU), the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), the NEHU Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA) and the NEHU unit of the Khasi Students’ Union have jointly appealed to Prof Marak to resign from the post.
In a petition submitted to her, they said the continuing uncertainty in the NEHU’s administration has made it imperative to address issues of leadership and accountability at all levels.
The organisations pointed out that NEHU is currently functioning under extraordinary circumstances, marked by the absence of a regular Vice-Chancellor, severe administrative instability and the resignation of key functionaries, leading to institutional paralysis.
According to the petition, the continuation of Pro Vice-Chancellors in office has become untenable, particularly in view of assurances given earlier by representatives of the Ministry of Education to student and teachers’ organisations in the presence of members of the Executive Council, which, they alleged, have not been implemented in letter or spirit.
The organisations said the resignation of the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Shillong campus has highlighted the failure to honour these assurances. They added that similar conditions prevail at the Tura campus, warranting a consistent and principled approach in the interest of restoring administrative clarity and institutional credibility.
They urged Prof Marak to resign in the larger interest of the university and its stakeholders, and sought a response within 24 hours of receipt of the petition. They warned that failure to do so would compel them to take further steps in accordance with their collective decision and democratic mandate.
The appeal, they said, was made with the objective of restoring trust, administrative stability and democratic functioning at the university.
The NEHUNSA on Wednesday expressed shock and dismay over the achievements claimed by Prof Umdor following his resignation as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Shillong campus, stating that the assertions do not reflect the ground reality.
The NEHUNSA applauded his decision to step down but said the claims made regarding accomplishments during his tenure were misleading. The association refuted the statement that major tasks had been achieved, including the promotion of non-teaching employees through the Departmental Promotion Committee.
In a statement, NEHUNSA general secretary M Synnah said not a single non-teaching employee has received a promotion till date. He said promotions were among the key agenda repeatedly raised by the association before the university authorities, but no concrete outcome has been achieved so far.
Synnah further contested the claim regarding the finalisation of advertisements for the recruitment of non-teaching staff. He stated that the issue remained in the “cold storage” and that, the NEHUNSA was never informed about any such development. He pointed out that the previous advertisement for non-teaching posts, which has already lapsed, is yet to be formally cancelled.
According to the NEHUNSA, the failure to cancel the lapsed advertisement goes against the resolution adopted during the 192nd Executive Council meeting held on May 30 in New Delhi.
Stating that it was obligatory to set the record straight, the NEHUNSA general secretary said the association felt compelled to place the facts before the general public in the interest of transparency and accountability.
Govt in touch with Centre to end NEHU crisis: Rymbui
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday admitted to persistent governance challenges at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), stating that a dispute between the Vice-Chancellor and the university community has persisted for over a year.
He indicated that dissatisfaction spans students, faculty, and staff, and pointed out that the state government is actively engaging with the Union Ministry to find a solution for the betterment of students and the educational ecosystem in Meghalaya.
He emphasised that the prolonged impasse affects the entire university community, and that resolving it is crucial for maintaining educational standards.
He stated that multiple issues, including teacher service norms, NEHU governance, ad hoc teacher pay scales, and SSA funding, are being actively managed to ensure the best possible outcomes for students, teachers, and the state’s educational system.
