NEHUTA demands resignation of NEHU Pro VCs
The North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) has demanded Prof SM Sungoh and Prof FK Marak to immediately tender their resignation from the “illegitimate” post of Pro Vice Chancellors (PVCs) in Shillong and Tura campus respectively.
The decision was taken at the general body meeting (GBM) of the association after there was no Vice-Chancellor in station to look after the affairs of the University since March 6, and the recent developments in NEHU.
The GBM has resolved that appointment of the Pro Vice-Chancellors based on the notifications issued by the Assistant Registrar, Planning, dated November 13, 2024 and also by Omkar Singh, dated November 14, 2024, is not acceptable for the reasons that the Executive Council meeting, where decision of appointment of Pro VCs was discussed, had no quorum.
Moreover, the VC, who was absent from the Headquarters of NEHU, Shillong, has not followed the proper procedures as laid down under the NEHU Statute 3.
In the appointment letters itself, he has quoted Statute 3 which he did not follow in letter and spirit, and therefore, his actions can be considered ‘ultra vires”.
Moreover, the letter which was issued by Omkar Singh, who has been on leave from November 3, 2024 and have not joined in the HQ of NEHU, Shillong till date, which itself is invalid.
Additionally, Prof Shukla and Omkar Singh’s actions while on leave and absent from the HQ in NEHU, Shillong were made null and void by the Vice Chancellor (Acting) on November 23, 2024.
“NEHUTA strongly condemns the appointment and the joining of both of you as Pro VCs-Prof S. M. Sungoh in Shillong and Prof. Fameline K. Marak in Tura campuses since it was the illegitimate action of Prof. Shukla. NEHUTA had outrightly rejected these appointments in the month of November 2024 and since then nothing has changed and we outrightly reject it now as well,” NEHUTA president Prof Lakhon Kma said in a letter to the two PVCs.
“Therefore, in light of the decision of the GBM on March 25, the factual position and the decision of the NEHUTA EC held on March 28, we would like to request you to immediately tender your resignation from the illegitimate post of pro VCs both in Shillong and Tura campuses of NEHU and accordingly, we will decide our next course of action,” he said.
“Prof. Shukla went on Earned Leave as per the advice of the Director, Higher Education, Govt, of India from the 15th of November 2024 which he has extended till the 2nd of March 2025 and till date he has not joined physically after the leave in the Headquarter at NEHU Campus Shillong. This amounts to continuous absence from duty in the Headquarter at NEHU, Shillong for 133 days at stretch. Moreover, the Inquiry Committee Report on the conduct of Prof. Shukla has not been made public by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India and therefore he has not been exonerated from the serious charges against him,”he added.
Prof Kma in his letter also stated, “It is more concerning that while all stakeholders have objected to Shukla’s continuance in the post of VC, and also Meghalaya MP Dr. Ricky A. J. Syngkon has raised the issue of the removal of the VC even in Parliament, you are supporting Shukla and legitimizing his illegitimate actions, violations of NEHU Act & Statutes, Govt. of India rules and his anti-tribal and anti-Meghalaya stands that he had amply displayed during his tenure. We would like to inform you that we do not recognize such illegitimate appointment of Pro VCs in Shillong and Tura campuses of NEHU which were done in violation of the provisions under the NEHU Act & Statutes, and Govt. of India rules and procedures.”
Further, NEHUTA also stated that it is important to inform Prof. Sungoh that there are guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education from time to time, which are available with the university, that does not permit a person to hold a statutory post three months before retirement and “you are retiring on 31 May 2025” adding same guidelines were used by the University with Prof Saha as the Acting VC as recent as January 2025 for a similarly placed case decision of the NEHUTA Act and Statutes government of India rules and procedures.
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