By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 1: The North-Eastern Hill University Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA) has welcomed the long-awaited advertisement for the post of Vice-Chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
It, however, cautioned the Ministry of Education against any move to extend the tenure of incumbent Vice-Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary in the Ministry of Education on Monday, NEHUNSA appreciated the advertisement and termed it a much-needed step towards restoring stability in the university, which it said has been facing a prolonged crisis.
NEHUNSA general secretary Danny M. Synnah said the association had repeatedly communicated with the ministry regarding the urgency of initiating the appointment process given the prevailing situation in the university.
“The advertisement was expected much earlier, considering the ongoing crisis surrounding the university due to the incompetence shown by Prof Shukla. The situation worsened after he voluntarily chose to abandon the university headquarters in Shillong while continuing to interfere remotely in academic and administrative matters,” he said.
Synnah said the association trusts the ministry to be transparent in appointing a Vice-Chancellor with strong academic credentials and sound administrative experience.
“As a mature association, we expect the ministry to appoint a Vice-Chancellor who is well qualified in both academic and administrative spheres, as has been the established norm,” he stated.
The NEHUNSA also urged the ministry to complete the appointment process soon, preferably before August 2026, to prevent any leadership vacuum in the university.
The association further stressed that the Acts and Statutes of the university must be strictly followed upon the expiry of Prof Shukla’s tenure, maintaining that the senior-most professor should assume charge as Acting Vice-Chancellor until a regular appointment is made.
“Any attempt to extend the term of Prof Shukla would prove detrimental to the overall health of the university,” Synnah warned.
He hoped that the ministry would view the association’s concerns in the right spirit and appreciate the gravity of the situation at the NEHU.
Copies of the letter were forwarded to the Visitor of the University, the Chief Rector, the Union Minister of Education, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, and the Federation of Central Universities Staff.
