By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 21: Students at the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Tura Campus have publicly intervened in the institution’s ongoing leadership dispute, defending their Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) against top-level mismanagement and alleged corruption.
In a joint statement, the Post Graduate Students’ Union (PGSU) and the Garo Students’ Union (GSU) NEHU Tura Campus Cell addressed a deep-seated crisis, claiming the campus has been pushed to the brink by administrative neglect and “unequivocal” corruption among the highest university leadership.
The student unions allege that for nearly four years, the Tura Campus was left adrift without a PVC or a recognised student body. They claim the Vice-Chancellor bypassed standard procedures by appointing a “Campus Director” with limited authority, a move they argue crippled both academic and administrative operations. This neglect included the unconstitutional dissolution of student representation.
While the students remain in solidarity with the broader NEHU movement against the Vice-Chancellor’s mismanagement, they have reached a critical turning point regarding local leadership.
The unions are now making a stand to protect the appointment of Prof FK Marak as Pro Vice-Chancellor. They assert her role is not arbitrary but was legally approved by the Executive Council in May 2025 under the NEHU Act of 1973.
The students view Prof Marak’s leadership as essential for stability. They argue that the campus currently relies on only two regular officers, with the rest of the workforce consisting of non-permanent or contractual staff.
In a collective decision, they have resolved not to allow the Pro Vice-Chancellor to resign. Students, in the statement, conveyed belief in her continued leadership as the only safeguard against a total administrative void that would “directly harm students.”
