Faculty flays move to hold NEHU executive council meet in Delhi

Faculty members at the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) have strongly opposed the varsity's decision to hold the 193rd executive council (EC) meeting of the institution in New Delhi on November 14, terming it a ''wasteful and regressive move'' that violates both ministry directives and prior agreements.

In a letter to the university's pro-vice-chancellor, Prof S Umdor, NEHU Teachers' Association (NEHUTA) said it was ''strongly against the move'' to convene the meeting outside the university's Shillong campus.

The association alleged that vice-chancellor Prof PS Shukla, who has been ''absent from duty at NEHU headquarters for nearly a year,'' is attempting to chair the meeting ''in violation of the understanding reached earlier this year with the ministry of education and university stakeholders.'' Shukla had exited the NEHU campus in November last year when widespread protests erupted over allegations of administrative mismanagement, nepotism, and arbitrary decision-making.

NEHUTA claimed that the EC meeting had been scheduled in Delhi due to protests looming large against Shukla's proposed visit to the Shillong campus, where students, teachers, and staff had declared him persona non grata.

The teachers' body also questioned the ''needless expenditure'' on travel and allowances for holding the meeting in Delhi, saying it ''defeats the austerity measures adopted by the university.'' It cited a ministry of education directive (F. No. 20-13/2024-CU.IV, dated August 20, 2024) which instructed all central universities to hold statutory meetings within campus premises to ensure ''transparency, accessibility and operational efficiency.'' ''NEHUTA condemns the uncalled-for interference by the persona non grata Prof. Shukla and urges the administration not to waste limited university resources on meetings outside Shillong,'' the association stated, adding that it would continue to safeguard the interests of teachers and the university community.