TURA, June 18: The pen-down and tool-down agitation by non-teaching employees of the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Tura Campus entered its third day on Thursday, with protesting staff vowing to continue their movement until their long-pending demands are addressed.

Despite holding discussions with the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Joint Registrar and other officials, the employees said no concrete assurance was given, particularly on the key demand of “Equal Pay for Equal Work.”

“We met the Pro VC, but no assurance was given during the meeting. We will continue our agitation until our demands are fulfilled,” said Tangseng G. Momin, LDA of the Department of Horticulture, speaking to Hub News.

The agitating employees, however, have continued to maintain essential services, including campus bus operations, water supply, medical farm activities and examination duties, ensuring that students and campus residents are not affected.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor told Hub News that she had met the employees and heard their grievances, assuring them that the issues raised would be taken up with the higher authorities.

According to campus officials, the demand for equal pay has remained unresolved since 2024 after a proposed committee, mandated to examine the issue in line with DoPT guidelines and recommendations of the UGC, Ministry of Education and Labour Ministry, could not be constituted. Officials said the matter remains pending and ultimately requires a decision from the Vice-Chancellor, who has yet to assume charge.

Addressing allegations of arbitrary promotion and demotion, the administration stated that the Ministry of Education had directed the university to reduce outsourced manpower due to financial constraints. Instead of terminating workers, the administration retained them in their existing positions to safeguard employment while complying with the Ministry’s instructions.

On the demand for Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), officials clarified that the issue concerns 17 casual workers engaged through the Civil Defence agency that supplies manpower to the university. As the agency is reportedly not registered under the EPF scheme, officials said the matter falls outside the jurisdiction of the campus administration.

Similarly, demands relating to gratuity and pension benefits are handled by the Shillong office and are beyond the authority of the Tura Campus administration. Officials, however, said repeated representations have been made to the concerned authorities seeking a resolution.

The administration also attributed delays in salary payments to manpower shortages. Officials said that while salary disbursement was managed directly by the office before 2018, payments are now processed through the PFMS and SAMARTH portals, a system currently handled by a single staff member.

With employees insisting on the fulfilment of their demands and the administration citing procedural and jurisdictional limitations, the deadlock continues. As several issues await decisions from higher authorities, including the yet-to-assume Vice-Chancellor, the protesting staff have resolved to continue their agitation until a satisfactory outcome is achieved.

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