TU students, faculty, staff mark 100 days of agitation against VC with hunger strike

Guwahati: Students, faculty members, and non-teaching staff of Tezpur University on Monday began a 24-hour hunger strike on campus, marking 100 days of agitation and reiterating their primary demand — the removal of vice-chancellor Prof Shambhu Nath Singh. The protest, jointly led by unions representing students, teachers, and employees, has continued since Sept 21 and intensified amid allegations of financial and academic irregularities against Singh.The VC has been absent from campus for more than three months and is allegedly “absconding”. Protesters alleged that despite repeated representations and assurances, the ministry of education (MoE) has taken no decisive action.Operating under the joint platform Tezpur University United Forum (TUUF), the university community said the prolonged impasse reflected administrative inaction and a lack of transparency. In a statement issued Monday, the students’ community said even after 100 days of democratic protest — along with multiple visits by officials, inquiries, and verbal assurances — there has been no written or conclusive step from the MoE. The agitation is a collective demand for transparent processes, democratic governance, and institutional accountability in higher education, the statement read.Tonoy P Neog, a student, said the annual convocation, usually held in Dec, could not be organised this year due to the crisis. He warned that if the MoE neither acted against the VC nor conducted a credible probe into the allegations, unrest could persist and damage research and academic functioning. “We may go for an indefinite hunger strike next. The govt will be responsible for such a situation,” he said.Gautam Sarma, president of the Tezpur University Non-Teaching Employees’ Association, appealed to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to take a proactive role in resolving the crisis. He emphasised the significance of TU as a central institution born out of the 1985 Assam Accord, and argued that prolonged instability in such an institution carried wider public and historical implications.Faculty members also raised concerns about financial governance as the financial year neared closure. In the absence of both the VC and a pro-VC, senior professor Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya assumed charge as acting VC earlier this month, reportedly with support from a majority of campus stakeholders. However, university officials said his appointment has not yet been formally approved by the MoE, leaving several key administrative and financial decisions pending.“While emergency services are being managed, the lack of formal authorisation has limited the acting head’s ability to exercise financial powers,” said Prof Rupam Kataki of the Tezpur University Teachers’ Association (TUTA). He added that the most critical issue is that Prof Bhattacharyya cannot fully function without clear directives from the MoE recognising his position, particularly in matters involving major expenditure and other important approvals. Kataki also warned that the approaching academic session, expected to begin around May-June, could be negatively impacted by the unresolved deadlock, affecting admissions and institutional preparedness.