Guwahati: North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Meghalaya, Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla has cautioned Prof. Sherwin Sungoh against holding the Academic Council meeting scheduled for May 21.
He emphasized that organizing the meeting without proper authority could trigger disciplinary action.
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Prof. Shukla expressed serious reservations about the legitimacy of Prof. Sungoh’s move, arguing that it undermines both administrative stability and the future of NEHU’s students.
He alleged that Prof. Sungoh assumed the role of acting Vice Chancellor under pressure from the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA), despite lacking statutory authority as per the NEHU Act and its statutes.
According to Prof. Shukla, holding the meeting without proper authorization could invalidate any resolutions passed, potentially affecting the legal standing of students’ degrees.
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He noted that he had officially instructed the Joint Registrar to issue a notice rescheduling the Academic Council meeting. When this was not carried out, the Registrar, following protocol, announced that the meeting would instead take place on May 23.
The announcement of the earlier May 21 meeting has sparked unrest in the academic community. Several senior faculty members and legal advisors have deemed the move procedurally flawed and potentially unlawful.
Prof. Shukla warned that any outcomes from the disputed meeting could face legal challenges and might be considered null and void. He stressed that such disputes could create serious complications for students awaiting exam results, degree certifications, and academic progression.
He also raised concerns about the potential impact on NEHU’s affiliated colleges in Meghalaya and neighboring states, which depend on the university for academic validation.
\Delays in recognizing degrees or implementing decisions could force these colleges to respond to students, parents, and oversight agencies, despite having no control over the university’s internal decisions.