The return of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prabha Shankar Shukla has sparked fresh controversy, with the university’s teachers’ association challenging his claim of resuming office while still in Delhi.
On Monday, March 3, Shukla informed the acting Registrar that he had officially resumed duty but would remain in Delhi for official work until March 5, as reported by Shillong Times.
However, the North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) has strongly opposed this, arguing that a VC cannot "resume office" without being physically present at the university’s headquarters in Shillong.
In a statement dated March 3, NEHUTA asserts that the VC's actions violate established protocols and the Government of India’s Central Service Leave Rules.
The teachers' association argues that Prof Shukla’s claim of resuming duties remotely from Delhi without reporting back to Shillong is unprecedented.
“By flagrantly violating NEHU Act, Statutes, Ordinances and Government of India's rules, Prof Shukla claims to be on official tour and apparently claims to have resumed his duty when he has never joined in the Headquarter of NEHU at Shillong. In spite of his repeated irregular earned leave application from which he never joined his duties, his claim that he resumed his duties sounds totally out of order, as he remains away from the headquarter,” the NEHUTA statement said.
According to NEHUTA President Prof Lakhon Kma, the VC must report to his headquarters after the expiry of his leave. Instead, he has claimed to resume work while still away, which is against the Government of India’s Central Service Leave Rules.
He also raised concerns about the inquiry report, which is yet to be brought to the public and stakeholders.
“In spite of his not joining the University, and when no one knows what the findings of the Inquiry report are, how can he be so pampered by some quarters to allow him to claim that he resumed duties while remaining absent from headquarter,” NEHUTA added
Background
Prof Shukla had been on earned leave from November 15, 2024, to March 2, 2025. His leave coincided with growing discontent within the university’s students and faculty, including an indefinite hunger strike by students in November 2024, demanding his removal over allegations of mismanagement, nepotistic appointments, and a declining academic environment.
Concerns raised by the North-Eastern Hillk University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) included:
- A significant drop in NEHU’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking
- Crumbling infrastructure and lack of proper facilities
- Irregular recruitment practices under Prof. Shukla’s leadership
Following these protests, the Ministry of Education formed a two-member inquiry committee led by former University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof DP Singh to investigate the allegations. The committee began its probe on November 25, 2024, engaging with students and faculty to assess the situation.
However, NEHUTA has received no communication from the Ministry of Education regarding the findings of the investigation or any action against the VC so far.
Prof Shukla’s tenure is set to end in July 2026, leaving concerns over how the university will function if the governance issues remain unresolved.
With the absence of clarity from the ministry and Prof Shukla’s contested claim of resuming office, the administrative functioning of NEHU remains in limbo.
It might be recalled that in January 2025, NEHUTA, along with the NEHU Non-Teaching Staff Association (NEHUNSA) and NEHUSU, urged the acting VC to convene an Executive Council meeting to address urgent institutional issues. They expressed concerns about the ongoing administrative paralysis due to the lack of clear leadership.
