Shillong, May 27: North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), North-Eastern Hill University Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA) & North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) have made a joint appeal to refrain from attending Executive Council meeting on May 30 in New Delhi.
In a letter addressed to the executive council members, the organisations said the three statutory associations/unions of NEHU are deeply concerned over the affairs of the University in the current times after the regular Vice Chancellor went on earned leave as per the advice of the Director, Union Ministry of Higher Education, from November 15 last year which he extended till March 2 and till date he has not joined physically after the expiry of his leave in the Headquarters at NEHU Campus, Shillong.
This amounts to continuous absence from duty in the Headquarters at NEHU, Shillong for more than 193 days or more than 6 months at a stretch. The three associations have noted that the Inquiry Committee Report on the conduct of Prof. Shukla has not been made public by the Ministry of Education.
According to media reports, Prof. Shukla has made statements that undermine the discussions and agreements that the stakeholders of NEHU had with the members of the visiting team of the union ministry of education on May 22 in NEHU, Shillong which could have resulted in normalising the situation in NEHU.
“Moreover, Prof. Shukla has again attempted to disrespect more than 135 members of the Academic Council who attended the meeting held on May 21 which was chaired by Prof. S. M. Sungoh (Acting Vice Chancellor) as per NEHU statute by his baseless statements. It is to be noted that Prof. Shukla is on leave and has not joined his duties in the Headquarter of NEHU at Shillong for more than 6 months now in violation of NEHU Act and Statutes & Govt. of India leave rules, the EC meeting convened in Delhi by him is, therefore, illegitimate”, they said.
“As an esteemed member of the Executive Council-the principal executive body of the University, who is responsible to oversee the administrative affairs of the University as per Act, Statutes and Ordinances and Govt. of India CCS Rules, the three statutory associations would like to appeal to you not to attend the aforesaid meeting of the EC in Delhi on 30/5/2025”, the signatories said.
“The three statutory associations/unions makes it clear that any member who chooses to proceed against this appeal and disregards the position taken by the Associations/Unions will be regarded as acting in opposition to the interests of the students, teachers, non-teaching staff and their Associations/Unions and the University as a whole. Looking forward to your kind cooperation”, they added.
The signatories are the following
(Prof. Lakhon Kma)
President, NEHUTA
(Dr. Wandondor R. Synrem)
President, NEHUNSA
(Sandy Sohtun)
President, NEHUSU
(Dr. Marbhador M. Khymdeit)
General Secretary, NEHUTA
(Jonathan P. Nongbri)
General Secretary, NEHUNSA
(Toniho S. Kharsati)
General Secretary, NEHUSU
Copies were sent to
Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Additional Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, for information and necessary action.
2. Prof. S. M. Sungoh, Vice Chancellor (Acting), NEHU, Shillong for information and necessary action with a request that documents related to EC meeting (both hard and soft copy) should not be taken outside the Headquarter of NEHU, Shillong.
3. The Registrar (In-charge), NEHU, Shillong for information and necessary action.
4. The Finance Officer (In-charge), NEHU Shillong for information and necessary action.
5. The University Engineer, NEHU, Shillong for information and necessary action
