In a dramatic turn of events, Tezpur University in Assam finds itself in the midst of a major administrative crisis. The prolonged and unexplained absence of its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shambhu Nath Singh, has culminated in a senior professor stepping in to assume the role of Acting Vice-Chancellor, a move that has intensified the ongoing turmoil at the institution.
Protests and Allegations Mount Against Absent V-C
For over two months, students and staff at Tezpur University, one of only two Central Universities in Assam, have been protesting against Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh. The protests escalated last week, leading to a complete shutdown of all academic and administrative activities on campus.
The university community has levelled serious allegations against Professor Singh. They accuse him of financial irregularities and blame his prolonged absences for causing "administrative stagnation". The protesters claim his leadership has led to the disrepair of vital campus infrastructure and a significant disruption of academic processes. Singh has been absent from the campus since late September 2025, a period spanning more than 75 days.
A Zoom Meeting and a Controversial Appointment
As the protests intensified, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma intervened on Wednesday, December 4. He stated he had appealed to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to appoint a Pro-Vice Chancellor for the university, pending an impartial enquiry into the current V-C's conduct.
The very next day, on Thursday, December 5, a notice was issued by the absent V-C, Professor Singh, calling for a "special emergent" meeting of the Board of Management (BOM). The meeting was conducted online via Zoom for its five external and three internal members. This move was met with strong opposition from the protesting staff and students, who have been demanding that Singh be sent on administrative leave and an Acting V-C be appointed immediately.
Minutes from this online meeting, reviewed by The Indian Express, showed that only the V-C and four external members were present. The board reportedly resolved to appoint Professor Joya Chakraborty from the Department of Mass Communication as the Pro-Vice Chancellor. This decision was immediately rejected by the university community, with a faculty member stating, "We do not accept the current Vice-Chancellor and any decisions taken under him."
Senior Professor Steps In, Citing University Statute
The situation took another dramatic turn when Professor Joya Chakraborty declined the Pro-VC position. Following this, Registrar in-charge Chandan Goswami cited a specific university statute to justify the next course of action.
Goswami referred to Statute 2(6) of the Second Schedule of the Tezpur University Act, which states that if the office of the V-C is vacant and a Pro-VC is not available, the senior-most professor of the university shall perform the V-C's duties until a new V-C assumes office or the existing one returns.
Invoking this statute, Professor Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya, a Senior Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has "assumed the charge of Office of the Vice-Chancellor as the Acting Vice Chancellor" with immediate effect from December 4.
In a letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Education's Department of Higher Education, Professor Bhattacharyya explained his decision. He cited the long absence of the V-C, the non-functioning of his office, and the need to restore normalcy on the troubled campus as the reasons for taking charge. Registrar Goswami confirmed that he had informed both the Union Ministry of Education and the Governor of Assam via email about this development and had not received any objection from them so far.
The unprecedented move by Professor Bhattacharyya marks a critical juncture in the ongoing saga at Tezpur University. It remains to be seen how the central government and the university's governing bodies will respond to this professor-led initiative to break the administrative deadlock and address the deep-seated grievances of students and staff.
