Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University Prof A P Pandey has proceeded on leave for a month starting from today, officials said. Students of the university are on strike for more than two months demanding the VC's resignation and an independent probe against him.

The Union HRD Ministry has approved the VC's leave, they said, adding that "the state government feared a law and order situation and hence recommended the Union HRD Ministry to send Pandey on leave"

"Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh today urged the university students, teachers and staff to call off their strike. The chief minister appreciated the Union HRD Ministry's decision to send the VC on leave. Singh said as per regulations of the Central University, the senior most professor will now take charge as the officiating VC .

"Being a Central University, the state government could not intervene directly on the matter, and hence the delay," the chief minister told reporters here.

The University Grants Commission last month had formed a panel to probe the allegations of administrative negligence and misutilisation of funds by Pandey.