Zubeen row in Tezpur varsity crisis: Centre deploys committee amid student protests

Guwahati:  In a significant escalation of the ongoing turmoil at Tezpur University (TU), the Ministry of Education has dispatched a three-member high-level committee to the campus, responding to weeks of massive student-led agitations demanding the immediate resignation of Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh. 

The move draws attention to the growing pressure on the administration over allegations of severe financial irregularities, administrative autocracy, and cultural insensitivity, which have united students, faculty, and staff in unprecedented solidarity.

The committee, comprising senior bureaucrats, is scheduled to arrive imminently to assess the situation firsthand.

Its members include Armstrong Pame, IAS, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Higher Education; Saumya Gupta, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Education; and Biswajit Kumar, IAS, Director in the Ministry of Education. Sources within the ministry indicate the panel will engage with stakeholders, review evidence of misconduct, and recommend measures to restore normalcy.

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"This intervention reflects the government's commitment to addressing legitimate grievances in higher education institutions," an official stated anonymously, emphasizing transparency.

The protests, which erupted in mid-September following the death of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg on September 19, have snowballed into a broader indictment of the VC's leadership. Students initially decried the university's failure to observe mourning protocols such as postponing student council elections held just a day after Garg's passing and the VC's alleged dismissive remarks during a video call on September 21, where he reportedly questioned the need for a condolence meeting.

 A "clarification note" from Singh's office, claiming a meeting had occurred, was swiftly rejected by agitators as fabricated, further eroding trust.

By late September, the Tezpur University Teachers’ Association (TUTA) joined the fray, filing a memorandum to Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

They accused Singh of financial mismanagement, including misuse of funds for substandard infrastructure projects, opaque contract awards, and extending tenures of key officials like Computer Centre Director Ramakrishna Mathe beyond expiry dates. The Public Relations Officer, Samaresh Barman, resigned citing an "autocratic style" that threatened the institution's ranking.

A magisterial inquiry ordered by Sonitpur District Administration on September 24, and a separate Governor-appointed fact-finding panel led by IIT-Guwahati Director Prof. Devendra Jalihal concluding sittings on October 13 have only intensified calls for accountability.

On October 8, protesters burned effigies of Singh and other officials outside the administration building, marking the third week of the VC's conspicuous absence from campus. The Joint Coordination Committee, representing students, faculty, and non-teaching staff, has vowed to sustain the agitation until Singh's ouster. 

"This is the power of our unity," said a student spokesperson, echoing sentiments on social media where #RemoveTUViceChancellor trends. Effigies and marches have disrupted classes, but demonstrators insist the fight is for ethical governance.

Singh, appointed in April 2023, carries baggage from his prior tenure at Patna University, where he was removed by the High Court amid similar student unrest over alleged misconduct. Attempts to reach him for comment remain unanswered.

As the ministry's team lands, all eyes are on whether their findings will catalyze decisive action, potentially averting a deeper academic crisis at this central university, ranked 69th by NIRF 2024.

 For now, Tezpur's youth stand resolute, transforming grief into a clarion call for reform.