Shillong, May 19: NEHU VC PS Shukla has said the meeting of the Academic Council on May 21 convened by Pro Vice Chancellor Sherwin Sungoh will jeopardize academic activities of the students.
Shukla said North Eastern Hill University is facing a serious administrative crisis following a controversial decision by Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sherwin Sungoh to call an adjourned Academic Council meeting on May 21.
“The move has resulted in objections from legal experts and members of the academic community, as Prof. Sungoh, self-declared as in-charge VC under pressure from NEHUTA, has no legal authority to convene such a meeting under the NEHU Act and Statutes. Any decision of the meeting will raise questions on students’ degrees.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor Shukla instructed the Joint Registrar to issue a notice for the adjourned meeting of the Academic Council. However, the Joint Registrar did not carry out this instruction. In light of the inaction, the Registrar, Col. Omkar Singh (Retd), issued a notice to convene the meeting on May 23, following proper administrative protocol. Despite this, Prof. Sungoh issued a separate notice through the Joint Registrar calling for the same meeting two days earlier, on May 21. “This action has sparked widespread concern, with many terming it unauthorized and in clear violation of university rules, which state that only the Vice Chancellor has the power to convene an Academic Council meeting. Several senior faculty members and legal experts have voiced criticism, warning that if the meeting on May 21 proceeds, it would be considered illegal. “Any decisions made in such a meeting could be challenged in court and may not be recognized as valid. This has serious implications for the functioning of the university. The degrees of the students will be directly affected by this meeting. Among the concerns raised are the possible delays in announcing examination results and awarding degrees to graduating students. Academic planning for the upcoming session could also be disrupted, including the approval of new courses, revision of syllabi, and scheduling of examinations. More importantly, this situation could negatively impact students, particularly those who are planning to apply for higher education or jobs and need their degrees on time. If there is a legal dispute over the meeting, the validity of the decisions taken, including the approval of results, could come into question, which can potentially delay the career progress of thousands of students, Shukla said.
The effect of the controversy could also spread beyond the university campus. NEHU is the affiliating university for many colleges in Meghalaya and neighboring states. If Academic Council decisions are legally disputed, affiliated colleges may not be able to certify the results of their students or make changes to academic programs. This could also interfere with their accreditation processes and compliance with guidelines set by the University Grants Commission and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Several college principals have expressed concern, stating that the current administrative conflict is causing confusion and fear among students and staff. One principal, without naming, said that if degrees are delayed or disputed, colleges will have to answer to parents, students, and government bodies, despite having no role in the internal decisions of the university. Students are also anxious as admissions in other institutions are already underway. Any delay in the conferral of degrees or publication of results could have serious consequences for their academic and professional futures.
According to Shukla, NEHU, a central university known for its academic excellence and contribution to higher education in the Northeast, now faces one of its most pressing administrative challenges. The decision by the Pro Vice-Chancellor to unilaterally call a key meeting has brought to light deeper issues of legality and accountability. Such decisions by the Pro Vice Chancellor risk further administrative chaos and jeopardize the future of thousands of students and the stability of its affiliated institutions. If the May 21 meeting is held appropriate action will be taken, he added.
