Tura— The Garo Students’ Union (GSU) has formally addressed a letter to Professor Prabha Shankar Shukla, Vice-Chancellor of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), demanding the urgent appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor (Pro-VC) for the university’s Tura campus. This request follows a prolonged vacancy in the position since September 2021, which the union argues has hindered the effective functioning of the campus.
In their letter, the GSU emphasized the critical need for a Pro-VC to manage administrative duties and address the challenges faced by both students and staff due to the vacancy. “We put forth our request that the post of the Pro-VC be immediately recouped with a sense of urgency and responsibility,” the letter stated, pointing out the availability of qualified candidates among the current faculty.
The absence of a Pro-VC has created operational difficulties, limiting financial authority for day-to-day expenses and hindering the campus’s overall functioning. The GSU questioned, “Is there none eligible in the NEHU establishment or could be spared to take the reins of the Tura NEHU Campus at present as a full-fledged PVC?”
Furthermore, the union criticized the recent dissolution of the Post Graduate Students’ Union (PGSU) at the Tura campus, claiming it was done without proper consultation with student representatives. They raised concerns over the circumstances leading to the union’s disbandment and the lack of adherence to established protocols. “Was the PGSU dissolved or disbanded? Because there must exist a procedure to dissolve the PGSU, which may be necessary to solve a crisis on hand,” the letter queried, emphasizing the need for a transparent process.
The GSU argued that the authority to dissolve the PGSU rests with the student body and cannot be unilaterally decided by the campus director. They also pointed out the incongruity of an annual budget allocation of Rs. 12 lakhs for the PGSU while the union remains unrecognized. “If this is true, who is using the funds allocated for the PGSU at NEHU, Tura Campus?” the letter questioned, demanding clarity on the management of these funds.
The GSU’s demands underscore the necessity for a structured representation of students, urging the NEHU administration to take immediate action to reinstate the Pro-VC position and conduct elections for the PGSU. The union asserts that an officially recognized student body is essential for effectively addressing student grievances and maintaining a vital connection with the administration.