SHILLONG, March 4: The Vice Chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Shillong, Meghalaya, Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla, has come under fire for resuming his office from Delhi, sparking anger from the university’s teaching body. According to reports, Prof. Shukla officially resumed his duties on Monday but informed the acting Registrar that he would remain in Delhi for official work from March 3 to 5.

This move has been met with strong criticism from the North-Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA). Lakhon Kma, President of NEHUTA, expressed dissatisfaction with Prof. Shukla’s claim, stating that no Vice Chancellor in the history of NEHU had resumed office virtually after taking earned leave, as Prof. Shukla had done for the past three and a half months. Kma also accused the VC of violating the NEHU Act, Statutes, Ordinances, and Government of India rules, noting that despite his responsibilities, Prof. Shukla had not physically resumed his duties at the university.

Kma further clarified that an inquiry into the VC’s actions was ongoing, and Prof. Shukla had been advised to remain on leave until the inquiry report was released. The controversy stems from Prof. Shukla’s extended leave, which began on November 17, 2024, and was approved until November 29. Since then, the leave has been repeatedly extended, each time citing unavoidable circumstances.

In his absence, Nirmalendu Saha, the senior-most professor, had assumed the role of Acting Vice Chancellor. The claim of resuming office, while still being away from the headquarters, has sparked further questions about adherence to university rules and procedures.