Assam CM seeks urgent appointment of Pro-VC to resolve Tezpur University crisis

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday pressed the Union Ministry of Education to fast-track the appointment of a Pro-Vice Chancellor at Tezpur University, which has remained shut for more than 75 days amid a deepening administrative crisis.

Sharing an update on X, Sarma said he had already spoken to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He requested the Centre to immediately appoint a Pro-Vice Chancellor to ensure academic stability while an impartial inquiry examines the allegations against the current Vice-Chancellor. The Chief Minister also expressed confidence that Central intervention would help resolve the matter soon.

The crisis at the central university has grown sharper as accusations against Vice-Chancellor Prof. Neelima Gupta continue to surface. Students, university staff, and political representatives have accused her of corruption, administrative failures, misuse of public funds, and irregularities in recruitment. Allegations of financial misappropriation amounting to more than ?14 crore have become a major flashpoint in the protests.

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi recently highlighted the situation as a “deep institutional crisis” in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He drew attention to faculty shortages, slipping NIRF rankings, and stalled academic processes, warning that these setbacks undermine the university’s original mandate under the Assam Accord to promote high-quality higher education.

Both the Assam Governor and the Union Ministry of Education have initiated inquiries and submitted fact-finding reports on the alleged irregularities. However, no public decision has been announced so far.

With classes suspended and tensions escalating, students and stakeholders are now waiting for urgent administrative action to restore normal academic activities and safeguard the institution’s credibility.