Education ministry appoints Amrendra Kumar Das Tezpur University’s pro vice-chancellor

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has appointed Amrendra Kumar Das as pro vice-chancellor of Tezpur University until further orders. The decision comes after protesters at Tezpur University demanded the removal of VC Shambhu Nath Singh. The ministry directed him to go on leave and has ordered formation of a panel to enquire into the allegations.

Das is currently serving at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati’s design department. Earlier this month, the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma urged Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to appoint a pro-VC immediately to restore stability at the campus.

“The VC shall recuse himself from all duties and proceed on leave immediately and shall remain on leave till the completion of the enquiry," a senior MoE official said.

Also read Tezpur University Protest: Anger brewing over 2 years, say teachers

Tezpur University: 3-member enquiry committee

The ministry has asked the enquiry panel to submit its report within a maximum of three months. The committee will be headed by Manipur University VC N Lokendra Singh, including two other members from Nagaland University VC Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, and University Grants Commission (UGC) secretary Manish R Joshi.

Tezpur University is one of the two central universities in Assam, and was established in 1994 under the 1985 Assam Accord. It has been witnessing turmoil since September 27 last year, calling for the removal of the VC.

Tezpur University protests against VC’s irregularities

The University had been witnessing sustained protests since mid-September against irregularities allegedly committed by the VC. The protesters held a 24-hour hunger strike on Monday on the completion of 100 days of their agitation without any success.

Tezpur University has remained tense as students accused the VC and authorities of disrespecting cultural icon Zubeen Garg during a period of mourning, while also protesting alleged financial irregularities and ecological damage under Singh’s tenure.

The University’s VC abstained from the campus after the university witnessed a heated exchange of words between Singh and students on September 22, which nearly forced him to flee the scene.

Till now, at least 11 faculty members and senior officials have either resigned from their posts or left the university since the protests began. With inputs from PTI