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Guwahati: The student community of Tezpur University on Monday accused Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh of corruption, administrative misuse, academic failure and threatening students who are protesting.
At a press conference held at the Guwahati Press Club, student representatives demanded that the Vice-Chancellor be suspended or removed immediately. They also asked the government to form a judicial inquiry committee led by a sitting or former Supreme Court judge.
Students criticised the university for not paying tribute to Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg after his death. Student representative Nipu Boruah alleged that corruption began “from the very day the Vice-Chancellor joined on March 21, 2023”. He claimed that financial irregularities, faulty faculty appointments and mismanagement have become common under the current administration.
Students also questioned Singh’s educational qualifications, saying they found no details or research work linked to his PhD online. Although an inquiry committee was earlier formed, students said its report has not been made public even after they submitted several documents as evidence.
Students demanded a new Vice-Chancellor who has proper qualifications, cultural understanding and respect for the University’s legacy. Boruah said the university’s NIRF ranking has gone down since Singh took charge.
Another student representative, Bhaskar J. Borah, accused the Vice-Chancellor of “destroying the academic system” by taking full control of administrative decisions. He alleged that Singh removed 72 guest faculty members without notice and replaced them with research scholars paid only Rs 4,000–6,000 per month. He also claimed that research scholars received only Rs 4,000 in contingency funds instead of the mandated Rs 10,000. Borah accused Singh of cutting trees across the campus “in the name of beautification” and forcing students to pay from their own pockets to participate in the AIU events.
Student Ananya Devi alleged that the Vice-Chancellor violated the Tezpur University Act by not appointing a Pro-Vice Chancellor. She also claimed that a financial scam of around Rs 12 crore has taken place in the name of book purchases, hostel development and miscellaneous expenses. Devi said the Vice-Chancellor has been absent for over 388 days during his two-year term and described his administration as “autocratic”.
