NEHU Crisis: Ministry Officials Visit Campus, Stakeholders Say ‘No Option’ for VC Shukla’s Return

Speaking to the media after the meetings, the officials said the interactions as “fruitful” but refrained from sharing specific details.

In a significant development amid the ongoing protest at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), two senior officials from the Ministry of Education visited the campus in Shillong on May 22 and held back-to-back meetings with the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU), and other stakeholders.

The visiting officials, Additional Secretary Sunil Kumar Barnwal and Director Subrat Kumar Pradhan from the Department of Higher Education arrived in Shillong for a day-long visit aimed at assessing the situation on the ground. Their visit comes in the backdrop of sustained protests and demands from both students and faculty for the removal of Vice Chancellor Prof. P.S. Shukla, citing administrative failures.

Speaking to the media after the meetings, the officials said the interactions as “fruitful” but refrained from sharing specific details. “We had a good meeting with the faculty, deans, and heads of departments. We hope that everything will return to normal and function better,” said one of the officials.

NEHUTA President Lakhon Kma expressed cautious optimism after the meeting. “It was a fruitful discussion. The team came here to assess how NEHU is functioning in the absence of a regular VC,” Lakhon Kma stated.

He added, “The solution is still being worked out. We share the same opinion with the Ministry, we are all keen to resolve the issue. There are some modalities on the table, but nothing is finalised yet. We made it clear to the officials that bringing back VC Shukla is not an option. They also mentioned that the inquiry committee report is still under examination.”

NEHUSU Vice President Rickey also welcomed the ministry official’s visit. “The meeting went wonderfully. We appreciate the Ministry’s concern and hope to find a solution that satisfies all stakeholders. We exchanged several suggestions during the discussion on how best to resolve the ongoing issues,” he said.

The Ministry’s visit closely follows the submission of a report by a two-member inquiry committee constituted to investigate the situation at NEHU. The committee was formed after intense agitation by students and faculty over what they describe as a complete administrative collapse under Prof. Shukla’s leadership.

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