Meghalaya: Centre Reviews Situation at NEHU Campus Amid Unrest

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: In a bid to address the ongoing unrest at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Sunil Kumar Barnwal, Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, visited the university on Thursday. Accompanied by Subrat Kumar Pradhan, Director in the same department, Barnwal engaged in extensive meetings with faculty, students, and non-teaching staff. His visit comes amidst escalating calls for the removal of Vice Chancellor Prof P.S. Shukla.

Speaking after the day-long visit, Barnwal described the interactions as positive. “I had a good meeting with the faculty – all the Deans, Heads of Departments. It was a good experience and I hope everything will be normal and we will work better,” he stated, expressing cautious optimism about the university’s future.

The NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) has been at the forefront of this movement. NEHUTA president, Prof Lakhon Kma, called the meeting with ministry officials “fruitful” and reiterated the association’s firm position. “The team has come here to assess how we are managing without the regular VC, and certainly now we are without him. We have highlighted all the problems before the team,” he said, firmly adding, “His coming back here should not be an option at all.”

Prof Kma indicated that the ministry representatives seemed inclined toward resolving the situation, although no official decision was announced. “They know it has become untenable for him to even think of returning to the campus. Therefore, we are positive after meeting them, as it seems they are willing to find a solution so that NEHU comes back to normalcy,” he remarked. Prof Kma revealed that the ministry has completed the investigation and is currently reviewing the findings. “Apparently, they have made up their mind, but they are not sharing it with us yet. Still, we can read between the lines,” he noted.

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