Guwahati, Dec 6: After a dramatic turn of events at Tezpur University, Prof. Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya has assumed charge as the Acting Vice-Chancellor, in accordance with the Statute of the University Act.
On the 76th day of continuing student unrest, the absconding Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh, convened a Board of Management (BoM) meeting on December 4—an action the students claim violates multiple statutory norms.
The students’ fraternity firmly rejects the legitimacy of the meeting, citing gross procedural violations, including the deliberate exclusion of internal members of the University. They assert that the meeting stands invalid and its decisions unacceptable, as it was convened in a manner that directly contradicts the statutes governing the University.
According to established regulations, the agenda of any BoM meeting must be finalised and circulated 21 days in advance. However, the agenda for the December 4 meeting was neither pre-determined nor notified within the required timeframe. Furthermore, the BoM—mandated to comprise 16 members—recorded participation from only five, with several permanent members not invited.
The absence of any internal member of Tezpur University further underscored the opaque and arbitrary nature of the proceedings.
Students expressed concern that such a meeting was convened during a prolonged period of peaceful protests demanding accountability, transparency, and institutional justice. They described the move as an attempt to undermine their ongoing movement and silence stakeholders.
The BoM meeting also decided to appoint Prof. Joya Chakraborty as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor—a move strongly opposed by university stakeholders. Prof. Chakraborty did not accept the position, and the university community collectively approached Prof. DK Bhattacharyya to assume the charge of Acting Vice-Chancellor as per the statute.
This development marks a significant moment in the 76-day-long movement, restoring administrative presence to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor. However, stakeholders emphasized that this does not fulfill their core demands.
“This doesn’t end our long-standing movement. Our primary demand is a Supreme Court-level inquiry against Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh and his suspension until the results,” a student said, adding that the appointment of an Acting VC is a step toward streamlining academic activities ahead of end-term examinations”
