Shillong, Nov 14: The Centre has instituted a probe into the the NEHU affairs under the Vice Chancellor PS Shukla.
The order issued by the union ministry of education on Thursday said that ‘in light of serious concerns raised by the students, student associations, and reports in the media, the Ministry of Education has decided to constitute a committee to inquire into the alleged mismanagement and administrative failures within North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong.
According to the order issued by D.K. Himanshu, Under Secretary to the Government of India, department of higher education, the following allegations have been brought to the attention of the Ministry:
(i) Declining University Rankings: A significant drop in the university’s ranking in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), which is attributed to alleged administrative negligence.
(ii) Controversial Appointments: Allegations of irregular appointments including the appointments of the Registrar and the Deputy Registrar, which are claimed to have contributed to the university’s inefficiency.
(iii) Infrastructural Neglect: Reports of poor maintenance and neglect of basic amenities and infrastructure, adversely affecting the academic environment and student welfare.
(iv) Non-responsiveness of the Vice-Chancellor: Multiple complaints and memoranda from student bodies, including demands for essential reforms, have reportedly been ignored by the Vice-Chancellor.
The ministry said in view of the gravity of the issues, a two-member committee is hereby constituted to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter.
The committee shall consist of the following members:
(i) Prof. D. P. Singh, former Chairman of UGC (Chairman of the Committee)
(ii) Prof Dilip Chandra Nath, former Vice-Chancellor of Assam University
“The committee shall inquire into the above allegations as mentioned at para 1 and submit its report within a period of 15 days from the date of issuance of this order, along with necessary recommendations for corrective actions. University authorities are directed to assist fully with the committee and provide all necessary documentation and assistance required for the inquiry.This order is issued with the approval of the competent authority”, it said.
