Guwahati, Jan 1: The Union Ministry of Education has constituted a high-level Enquiry Committee under Section 9 of the Tezpur University Act, 1993, to probe the ongoing crisis and allegations surrounding Tezpur University, according to an official order issued on Wednesday.
The Ministry has also directed the Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University to recuse himself from all duties and proceed on leave with immediate effect, pending the completion of the enquiry.
As per the Office Memorandum issued by the Department of Higher Education, the committee has been set up by the Visitor of the University to examine all matters related to the prevailing situation on campus, including allegations levelled against the Vice-Chancellor.
The three-member Enquiry Committee will be chaired by Prof. N. Lokendra Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University. The other members are Prof. Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, and Prof. Manish R. Joshi, Secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The committee has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive enquiry into the findings and recommendations of the Fact-Finding Committee report submitted to the Office of the Chancellor. It will also ascertain the circumstances that led to the current crisis, including resignations and assumption of charges by university functionaries.
The panel will visit the campus, interact with stakeholders, and examine relevant documents, records, and communications. It has been given up to three months to submit its report, though it may do so earlier.
The UGC has been directed to provide full secretarial support to the committee, while Tezpur University authorities have been instructed to extend full cooperation and furnish all necessary documents for the enquiry.
The development comes amid sustained unrest and administrative turmoil at the Central university, prompting intervention by the Ministry.
