Shillong, May 27: In a joint letter, the three statutory bodies of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) — the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), the NEHU Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA), and the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) — have urged Executive Council (EC) members to refrain from attending the upcoming EC meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on May 30.
The associations expressed deep concern over the ongoing administrative instability at NEHU, which they claim has worsened since Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla went on earned leave starting November 15, 2024. Though his leave officially ended on March 2, 2025, the associations claimed that Prof. Shukla has reportedly failed to physically return to the Shillong campus headquarters, resulting in an over six-month absence, in violation of NEHU statutes and Central Government service rules.
The joint letter criticized Prof. Shukla for convening the EC meeting from outside the university headquarters, calling it ‘illegitimate’ and procedurally invalid.
They also pointed to his recent statements in the media, which the associations claimed undermines the recent reconciliation efforts by NEHU stakeholders and the Ministry of Education’s visiting team during their May 22 visit to the Shillong campus.
The associations further accused Prof. Shukla of disrespecting over 135 Academic Council members who attended a May 21 meeting chaired by Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. S.M. Sungoh.
Mentionably, Prof. Shukla has termed the May 21 Academic Council as ‘illegal’ and indicated holding another meeting after the Executive Council meeting to be held in Delhi on May 30. Prof. Shukla had planned the Academic Council meeting on May 23 but deferred it and is waiting for the Executive Council meeting in Delhi.
The letter appealed to EC members to stand in solidarity with the university’s staff and students by boycotting the May 30 meeting in Delhi. “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,” the letter warned.
