Meghalaya: NEHUTA slams VC Shukla for mismanagement at NEHU

Guwahati: The NEHU Teachers' Association (NEHUTA) has criticized Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla for his remarks blaming university professors for the ongoing unrest.

NEHUTA President Lakhon Kma stated on Wednesday that Shukla lacks the academic capability to address NEHU’s issues and challenged him to a face-to-face discussion on the matter.

Kma accused Shukla of violating several regulations, including the Government of India leave rules, UGC Regulations 2018, and the NEHU Act.

He claimed that Shukla's three-and-a-half-year tenure as Vice Chancellor has been marked by incompetence, appointing unqualified individuals to key positions, including Registrar and Deputy Registrars, as well as retired faculty members, which contributed to his failure.

Kma further alleged that Shukla pursued a hidden agenda by appointing candidates from a specific region while sidelining qualified local tribal candidates from Meghalaya and the Northeastern region.

He claimed Shukla discouraged research and ignored deserving faculty promotions, leading to a decline in NEHU's rank.

He also accused Shukla of nepotism and undermining the university's integrity by violating rules and regulations.

Kma criticized Shukla for disregarding constructive criticism and suggestions from associations like NEHUTA, NEHUNSA, and NEHUSU.

Teachers struggled to meet with Shukla, who required appointments even for urgent matters.

Kma also recalled that Shukla promised to appoint Pro-VCs for Shillong and Tura campuses within six months but failed to act on it for over three years until students demanded his resignation.

He also created an arbitrary position for a Campus Director in Tura, which does not exist in NEHU’s rule book.

Kma accused Shukla of destabilizing NEHU, claiming there were no regular appointments for key positions, including the Controller of Examinations, Finance Officer, and Registrar.

He further pointed out that Shukla had failed to conduct non-teaching staff recruitment, leaving applicants demanding refunds.

Kma also highlighted the Mawlai Town Dorbar's decision to declare Shukla a persona non grata due to his anti-local actions.

The Ministry of Education is currently reviewing the inquiry committee's report on Shukla’s alleged misconduct.

Kma claimed that Shukla, who has been on leave for 130 days, has not returned to the NEHU headquarters in Shillong.

He added that Shukla is attempting to clear his name while the NEHUTA remains committed to the university's welfare, leaving it to the public to judge his actions.