Shillong, Feb 26: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has petitioned Meghalaya Advocate General A Kumar, alleging irregularities in staff appointments at the National Law University (NLU) Meghalaya.

In its complaint, the KSU accused Vice-Chancellor Prof Indrajit Dube of engaging in favoritism and nepotism, allegedly bypassing legal procedures and university statutes in the recruitment process. The union claimed that the Deputy Registrar’s appointment was made contractual to evade the state’s job reservation policy.

On February 14, KSU members met Dube to discuss their concerns but alleged that he refused to engage in a meaningful discussion and displayed a “superiority complex” towards indigenous tribal communities. The union also claimed that he blamed Khasi staff for leaking information.

The KSU further alleged that recruitment at NLU Meghalaya favored individuals from IIT Kharagpur and a particular community. It pointed to an assistant professor’s appointment, stating that the individual was a PhD student of Dube’s wife at IIT Kharagpur.

The pressure group also claimed that many vacancies were not publicly advertised, questioning the transparency of the hiring process. According to the KSU, Dube defended the appointments by citing university statutes granting him discretionary powers. However, the union argued that these statutes are not publicly accessible, raising concerns over centralized decision-making.

The KSU has urged the Advocate General to review the alleged violations and ensure transparency in the university’s recruitment process.