Stir in NEHU Continues, Now Non-Teaching Staff Goes On Indefinite Pen-Down Strike

The non-teaching staff of the premier university today began the indefinite pen-down strike protesting delay in promotion and recruitment.

More trouble brewing at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong. After teachers writing to the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Ministry of Education seeking action against Vice Chancellor Prof PS Shukla and the NEHU Students’ Union demanding the removal of key administrative officials, including the Registrar, Deputy Registrar and others, the non-teaching staff of the premier university today began an indefinite pen-down strike protesting delay in promotion and recruitment for positions advertised in November 2023.

“There is a delay in recruitment and promotion of the non-teaching staff. As per the UGC norms the employment ratio of teaching and non-teaching staff should be 1:1.1. This means our strength should be 512 but currently it is just 250,” NEHUNSA (NEHU Non-teaching Staff Association) president W. R. Synrem told Northeast Live explaining the reason behind the indefinite pen down strike.

Synrem said that the National Testing Agency (NTA) initially agreed to handle the recruitment of the non-teaching staff but later informed NEHU authorities on July 16, 2024, that it would not be able to do it. In response, NEHU issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) for another agency, with a submission deadline of September 30, 2024. However, over a month later, no agency has been appointed. “Time is running out. The authorities had said that they will announce the syllabus and the dates for the written exam by October end but they have not announced anything till today,” Synrem said.

He said that the NEHU authorities have called them for a meeting tomorrow at 4PM and NEHUNSA is hopeful of having a fruitful meeting. But Synrem reiterated that if they do not get a proper answer from the NEHU authorities about the recruitment process and promotion of the non-teaching staff then they will continue the indefinite strike.
“We have been forced to go on strike. We do not want anyone to suffer, but our strike will continue if we do not get a proper answer from the authorities. We are on strike for the survival of the University,” Synrem said.

On the issue of the NEHU teachers association (NEHUTA) seeking the removal of VC Shukla, Synrem said that they have sent a letter of support to NEHUTA.

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