Shillong: The Vice-Chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Prabha Shankar Shukla, has sought security assistance from the Central government, citing safety concerns over his planned return to the Shillong campus on December 2.
Currently on leave, Shukla also urged the government to address the ongoing unrest that has disrupted university operations.
In a letter to the Principal Secretary of Higher Education, Prof. Shukla detailed the escalating protests led by the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), under the leadership of Prof. Lakhon Kma. He alleged that these groups have resorted to extreme measures, including locking down the university and disrupting key academic and administrative activities.
The unrest intensified earlier this month when students launched a hunger strike demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor, registrar, and other officials. Though the hunger strike was eventually withdrawn, protests have persisted in the form of sit-ins and demonstrations. The situation reached a boiling point on November 6, when students locked down the university, further paralyzing its operations.
Shukla’s letter accused the NEHUTA of interfering with the 113th Academic Council meeting, forcibly entering administrative offices, and targeting the Vice-Chancellor’s office with threats and calls for dismissals. He described the atmosphere on campus as one of “fear and insecurity,” stating that faculty members are unable to perform their duties, and university functions have come to a “complete standstill.”
The Vice-Chancellor’s appeal to the Central government highlights the severity of the crisis, as he seeks intervention to restore normalcy at the prestigious institution. With mounting tensions and no resolution in sight, the future of NEHU hangs in uncertainty.
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