Guwahati: The Union Ministry of Education has directed Assam’s Tezpur University Vice Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh to proceed on leave immediately and constituted a three-member enquiry panel to investigate allegations against him, officials said on Thursday.
The decision comes nearly three months after students and faculty began protesting against Singh over alleged irregularities.
The agitation, which began in mid-September, escalated recently when protesters completed 100 days of demonstrations with a 24-hour hunger strike.
A ministry official said, “The VC shall recuse himself from all duties and remain on leave until the enquiry concludes. A three-member panel will probe all matters related to the ongoing situation at Tezpur University, including the allegations against the Vice Chancellor.”
The panel, required to submit its report within three months, will be headed by Manipur University VC N Lokendra Singh, with Nagaland University VC Jagadish Kumar Patnaik and UGC Secretary Manish R Joshi as members.
Meanwhile, the ministry appointed Amrendra Kumar Das from IIT Guwahati’s Department of Design as Pro VC of Tezpur University. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to appoint a Pro VC promptly to restore academic stability at the campus.
Tezpur University, one of Assam’s two central universities established in 1994 under the 1985 Assam Accord, has been in turmoil since September 27 last year. Students accused the VC and university authorities of showing disrespect to cultural icon Zubeen Garg during the state’s mourning of his death.
Protesters also cited alleged fiscal irregularities and deforestation on the scenic campus under Singh’s administration. The VC had abstained from campus after a confrontation with students on September 22, which nearly forced him to flee the spot.
At least 11 faculty members and officials have resigned or left the university since the protests began, highlighting the deepening crisis at the institution.
