SHILLONG: In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing turmoil at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), student leaders have taken their grievances straight to the top. On Monday, a joint delegation from the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) NEHU Unit met with Meghalaya Governor C.H. Vijayashankar, delivering a blistering memorandum that paints a picture of a premier institution in freefall.
The message was clear: NEHU is facing a “grave and continuing administrative and financial crisis,” and the students are demanding immediate intervention.
1. The “Vanishing” Vice-Chancellor
The most shocking revelation in the memorandum is the staggering absence of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla. According to the unions, the VC has been “continuously absent from his headquarters” for a massive 422 days.
This prolonged absence has reportedly left a “complete vacuum in institutional leadership,” effectively paralyzing the university’s statutory bodies and freezing critical academic decisions.
2. A Leadership Blackout
The crisis deepened on December 15, 2025, following the resignation of the Pro Vice-Chancellor. Student leaders pointed out that the university headquarters is now operating without any academic or administrative head, leaving students, faculty, and staff in a state of “serious hardship” with no one at the helm to steer the ship.
3. The “Missing” Inquiry Report
Adding to the tension is the silence surrounding the Ministry of Education’s Inquiry Committee. Initially constituted on November 14, 2024, the committee was granted a 15-day extension later that month. However, the students allege that the report has yet to be submitted or made public, leaving the university community in the dark about the path to resolution.
4. Financial “Stranglehold”
Beyond the leadership vacuum, the university is facing a brutal financial squeeze. The memorandum highlighted a significant dip in the non-salary budget—dropping from ₹253 crore to ₹231 crore for the 2025–26 Financial Year.
The impact on campus life is severe:
25% Cut: Departmental budgets slashed.
50% Cut: Seminars, conferences, and academic programs gutted.
Essential Services: Reductions in hostel maintenance and library resources.
Personnel: A total suspension of guest faculty appointments and honorarium payments.
“We are seeking to restore administrative stability, accountability, and effective governance,” the unions stated, urging the Governor to act before the university’s reputation and the students’ futures are irreparably damaged.
With the Governor now officially appraised of the “financial stress” and “administrative paralysis,” all eyes are on Raj Bhavan to see if a lifeline will be thrown to one of the Northeast’s most vital educational hubs.
