Shillong, Meghalaya – The ongoing protest at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has entered its fourth day, with students staging an indefinite hunger strike demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor PS Shukla and other senior officials. The students, backed by the North-Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU), allege administrative incompetence and have further insisted on the immediate appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Tura campus.
The strike has significantly disrupted operations at NEHU, a university serving nearly 5,000 students, with faculty members now stepping in to appeal for intervention. Professors, led by North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) president Prof. Lakhon Kma, recently held a meeting with Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar, who serves as the university’s chief rector, urging him to take decisive steps to resolve the crisis.
In response, Governor Vijayashankar expressed his concern over the escalating situation, highlighting the importance of keeping students in the classroom rather than in protest. He urged faculty and staff to propose constructive solutions to address the issues raised by NEHU students, who had previously taken their grievances to the Governor’s office.
Protest actions have been intense, with students burning effigies of university officials outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office. According to NEHUTA president Prof. Kma, the lack of trust in Vice-Chancellor Shukla’s leadership is widespread among students, faculty, and non-teaching staff, all of whom are calling for his resignation.
The students’ demands include the removal of both the Registrar and Deputy Registrar, an immediate appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Tura campus, and the scheduling of Postgraduate Students’ Union (PGSU) elections, which they claim have been unduly delayed. Addressing these issues, VC Shukla announced a plan to appoint Pro Vice-Chancellors for both Tura and Shillong campuses by the end of the month, in compliance with university ordinances.
In an attempt to ease tensions, Vice-Chancellor Shukla publicly urged students to end the hunger strike and engage in open dialogue, emphasizing his willingness to work with them to resolve the crisis. “I earnestly request the students, through the media, to call off the hunger strike and work with us to find solutions. Without dialogue, my hands are tied,” he stated.
Despite the Vice-Chancellor’s appeal, the students remain adamant, citing long-standing grievances and what they describe as a lack of meaningful engagement from university officials. The NEHU protests, which have drawn widespread attention, continue to escalate as both students and faculty await further intervention from the Governor’s office and university administration.
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