SHILLONG: The North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) on Friday defended the appointment of Prof. S.K. Barik as Vice-Chancellor in-charge, dismissing the Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council’s (HYC) demand for his resignation.
NEHUTA maintained that the appointment was made in full compliance with university statutes.
Addressing reporters, NEHUTA president Prof. Lakhon Kma stated there was unanimous agreement among major university stakeholders that Prof. Barik’s appointment did not violate any statutory provisions, rendering calls for his removal unwarranted.
Prof. Kma clarified that Prof. Barik was appointed through a new appointment approved by the President of India, who serves as the Visitor of the university, rather than via the usual process of handing over charge to the senior-most professor after the previous Vice-Chancellor’s tenure ended.
He explained that Prof. R. Khongsdier, the senior-most professor, was not appointed because, during three separate periods of administrative uncertainty, university stakeholders had approached him and requested him to take charge, but he declined each time.
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Copies of these communications were sent to the Ministry of Education and the President’s office. Prof. Kma suggested that Prof. Barik’s willingness to take on the responsibility during a leadership vacuum may have influenced the authorities’ decision.
Kma emphasized that stakeholders viewed Prof. Barik as a leader who stepped forward during a crisis, while Prof. Khongsdier chose not to assume the role despite repeated requests.
Appealing to all stakeholders to move past the controversy, Kma urged the university community to fully support the Vice-Chancellor in-charge and work collectively to restore normalcy and resolve long-standing issues affecting students, teaching faculty, and non-teaching staff.
(4FrontMedia news)
