Bureaucrats expect positive outcome, decline to share details
SHILLONG, May 22: Amid the crisis in the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), two senior officials from the Ministry of Education visited the institute’s Shillong campus on Thursday.
Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Additional Secretary; and Subrat Kumar Pradhan, Director in the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education held back-to-back meetings with faculty members, Deans, and Heads of Departments.
Later, Barnwal told the media the meetings were “productive.” Describing the visit as a positive experience, he hoped that everything will be normal soon and things will work better. He did not respond to further queries from journalists.
Earlier, the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) had stated the ministry is actively working to resolve the deadlock at the university. It disclosed that the ministry is reviewing the report of the two-member inquiry committee.
NEHUTA held a meeting with the two officials to assess and discuss the prevailing situation at the university.
After the meeting, NEHUTA president Prof Lakhon Kma emphasised the association’s commitment to restoring normalcy at the campus. He said the ministry is working on certain measures to address the crisis.
He also said that the officials of the ministry are engaging in separate discussions with NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and NEHU Non-Teaching Staff Association.
While the situation is still evolving, Kma stated that more clarity is expected once the ministry concludes its assessment of the university’s operations.
He reiterated NEHUTA’s position that the return of Vice Chancellor Prof Prabha Shankar Shukla to the university is not acceptable and should not be considered as a viable solution.
Regarding the inquiry report, he said although the officials of the ministry are reviewing its contents, it appears that they have already decided on the steps to be taken.
NEHUSU is hopeful that the ministry will soon propose a solution acceptable to all stakeholders. However, it reaffirmed its opposition to the return of the Vice Chancellor.
Talking to reporters, NEHUSU vice president Rikideiburom Bamon described the union’s meeting with the two officials from the ministry as productive.
He said NEHUSU was briefed on a possible resolution presented by the duo and the union offered its own suggestions aimed at restoring normalcy.
Bamon emphasised that the union stands firm in its demand that Prof Shukla should not be reinstated. He highlighted that a majority of the local residents have already declared the Vice Chancellor persona non grata.
