SHILLONG, OCT 12: At a time when NEHU’s national ranking has plunged from 15 to the 151-200 band, student unions have petitioned Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar for a regular Vice Chancellor who knows the university inside out.
In a joint representation, NEHUSU and KSU-NEHU Unit said NEHU, set up under the 1973 Act with a special mandate for the North-East, has the legacy and talent for revival but lacks stable, accountable leadership.
Recalling the November 2024 indefinite hunger strike by students over administrative functioning, appointments and basic amenities, the unions said recurring issues of governance, infrastructure and manpower under successive VCs have hurt the institution.
They pointed to NIRF rankings: 15th in 2016 to 151-200 in 2025, calling it a significant development that needs reflection.
The unions also warned that new reforms under NEP — FYUP, ITEP and the one-year PG — are being pushed without adequate classrooms, teachers and resources.
What NEHU needs now, they said, is a VC of “distinguished academic standing, proven administrative experience, integrity, vision and a genuine commitment to strengthening the institution” and someone with familiarity with NEHU and the North-Eastern context.
The appointment, they said, should mark a new chapter built on academic excellence, student welfare and respect for local sentiments — “a university where dialogue works before protest becomes necessary.”
