By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 6: The process for appointing a new Vice-Chancellor at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) was set in motion as early as February this year, following a directive from the Ministry of Education, even before student bodies raised concerns over the leadership transition.
Official communication accessed by sources revealed that the Ministry, through its Under Secretary Rajesh Kumar, wrote to the NEHU Registrar on February 18, stating that the tenure of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Prabha Shankar Shukla, is scheduled to end on July 26, 2026.
The Ministry emphasised that the appointment process must begin well in advance to avoid any vacancy and directed the university to initiate steps as per Statute 2(A).
As per the statute, the Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Visitor from a panel recommended by a three-member Selection Committee — two members nominated by the Executive Council from outside the university system, and one by the Visitor, who acts as Convener.
The Ministry requested the university to convene an Executive Council meeting to nominate the two members. It also reiterated compliance with a 2015 Ministry order that bars any Vice-Chancellor or EC member intending to apply for the post from participating in related meetings, with violation leading to disqualification.
Sources revealed that Prof. Shukla convened an EC meeting in Delhi on February 23, with none from NEHU reportedly attending. Another virtual EC meeting was held on March 30. However, the minutes of both meetings have not been circulated to all members and officials, which is against usual practice. Several EC members remain unaware of the outcomes, raising serious concerns over transparency in constituting the Selection Committee.
Meanwhile, student bodies including NEHUSU and the KSU NEHU unit have written to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, urging the state government to ensure a smooth and timely transition. They have called for immediate constitution of the Search Committee and strongly opposed any extension of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor’s tenure, warning that delays could disrupt university functioning.
With questions now being raised over the conduct and transparency of the Executive Council meetings, the issue of timely and fair appointment of NEHU’s next Vice-Chancellor has come under renewed scrutiny.
