SHILLONG, July 27: Signalling a definitive break from the turbulent tenure of the previous administration, NEHU student unions on Monday handed newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Prof SK Barik a roadmap for reform, headlined by a demand to review controversial top-tier appointments made under his predecessor.
After meeting the Acting Vice-Chancellor on his first day in office, North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) general secretary Martin Warjri said the student body was encouraged by Prof Barik’s willingness to engage with stakeholders and expressed hope that long-pending issues affecting the university would finally be addressed.
He also thanked the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), including its Central Executive Committee and the KSU NEHU Unit, besides Dorbar Shnongs and various organisations, for standing by the students throughout their agitation against the previous administration.
NEHUSU general secretary said the union submitted a five-point charter of demands, beginning with a review of the appointments of the Registrar-in-Charge and Finance Officer-in-Charge made during the tenure of former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla. According to him, the Acting Vice-Chancellor assured the delegation that the matter would be placed before the Executive Council for consideration.
He said that they have also sought the regular conduct of the university convocation, pointing out that NEHU had failed to hold annual convocations in recent years.
Warjri said Prof. Barik assured the students that every effort would be made to organise the convocation by December.
Highlighting the shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff, the students’ body urged the university to expedite the recruitment of permanent teachers, guest faculty and support staff to improve academic and administrative functioning.
The union further pressed for improved campus facilities, particularly better Wi-Fi connectivity, and called for timely completion of the admission process to prevent delays faced by students in recent years.
Besides the five-point charter, NEHUSU and the KSU NEHU Unit also discussed other pending issues, including the implementation of the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) and several matters arising out of the prolonged administrative crisis in the university.
Warjri said the new Vice-Chancellor gave a patient hearing to the concerns raised and assured the student representatives that all issues would be examined.
Expressing confidence in the new leadership, he said NEHUSU and the KSU NEHU Unit looked forward to working with the administration to rebuild the university.
“As our motto says, ‘Rise and Build,’ we hope to work together with the new Vice-Chancellor to restore NEHU’s academic excellence and administrative stability,” Warjri added.
