Tezpur University Dean, Deputy Director resign amid protest, students seek accountability

Guwahati: The student protest at Tezpur University reached a turning point on Thursday, the 55th day of the ongoing agitation, as two senior officials stepped down from their posts amid growing allegations of negligence and mismanagement.

Students—mostly from the School of Engineering—directly confronted Deputy Director of the Training and Placement (T&P) Cell, Pijush Chandra Das, and Dean of the School of Engineering, Shankar Chandra Deka, accusing them of failing to address long-pending issues related to training, placements, and academic services.

Students alleged poor maintenance of basic training facilities, improper handling of funds meant for student development, and repeated failures of the T&P Cell to provide adequate placement support. They said their complaints had been ignored for months, leaving them unprepared during critical career-building phases.

When questioned, Das shifted responsibility to the University’s Finance Officer, Braja Bandhu Mishra, and Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh, who has reportedly been absent from campus. He claimed these officials held decision-making power over funds and approvals, pointing to deeper administrative problems that students have been protesting for nearly two months.

The confrontation with Deka also led to a dramatic outcome. Facing allegations of misconduct, long delays in grievance redressal, and growing dissatisfaction within the School of Engineering, he resigned from his post as Dean on Thursday.

Shortly after, Das also announced that he would no longer continue as Deputy Director and asked to be relieved of all duties, adding to the administrative shake-up triggered by the student movement.

With no response yet from higher authorities, students say the resignations reflect the serious dysfunction within the university’s governance. They stressed that their agitation is not an act of rebellion but a demand for transparency, responsibility, and a system that works in the interest of students.

Protests are expected to continue as the student community calls for structural reforms and clearer accountability from the university’s top administrators.