NET News Desk
The Joint Action Committee of NEHU comprising of the Associations and Unions of three stakeholders of Teachers’, Students and Non-Teaching Employees have strongly appealed to the President of India, the Visitor of NEHU not to give even a single day extension to outgoing incumbent Vice-Chancellor Professor S.K.Srivastava.
In a press release issued by the committee, it has been mentioned, “ Prof.S.K.Srivastava failed in all respects and thereby the University has been brought down to the lowest level in all ranking assessments; and since Srivastava is an applicant for the second term, any extension given to him would allow him to exert undue influence on the selection process of the new Vice-Chancellor, as the selection process for the post of Vice-Chancellor is already under process. In such a case of extending him, being an applicant, shall also be immoral and unethical and unprecedented as in the history of NEHU, no incumbent Vice-Chancellor has so far been given an extension.”
As per NEHU statute 2(A) (2), after the term of office of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor is over, the senior most Professor shall normally take over the charge of the office of the Vice Chancellor until a new Vice Chancellor is appointed. “Ignoring this proviso shall be highly immoral, unless there is an exceptional need for the extension with very sound grounds. There is no such exceptional ground that the incumbent Vice Chancellor Prof.S.K.Srivastava should be extended,” stated the release.
The Committee further asserted that giving extension to Prof. Srivastava even after his non performance and mismanagement, as raised by way of peaceful protests and demonstrations by teaching, non teaching and students shall remain incorrect on moral grounds.
The Committee also highlighted that the National Women’s commission, State Women’s Commission are seized with enquiries into cases of harassment against Prof.S.K.Sriavstava. “National Scheduled Tribes’ Commission too is investigating harassment case by a local indigenous woman Professor against Prof.S.K.Srivastava. Even after four years of retirement, a Professor filed an FIR with Police on non-release of his gratuity and transfer transport allowance. Given all these serious breaches of academic collegiality by Prof.S.K.Srivastava, any extension of him shall be highly immoral,” said the release.
“We restate here that Prof.S.K.Srivastava’s regime has damaged the University beyond immediate repair and hence offering him an extended term would be direct encouragement of destruction of the sacred temple of learning meant for Meghalaya and Northeastern region,” read the release.
The Joint Action Committee asserted that it shall not accept any such undue and morally incorrect extension to Prof.S.K.Srivastava and will continue its peaceful protest to defend the interest of the University and the region.
