HYC CHALLENGES NEHU VC APPOINTMENT OVER ALLEGED STATUTE VIOLATION
The Hynñiewtrep Youths' Council (HYC), led by its President Bah Roy Kupar Synrem, on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Meghalaya Governor CH Vijayashankar, who is also the Chief Rector of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), seeking his intervention over the appointment of the University's Vice-Chancellor, alleging that it violates the NEHU Statutes.
Addressing the media, Synrem said the Ministry of Education, through its July 22 order, assigned the Vice-Chancellor's charge to Prof. Saroj Kanta Barik of the Department of Botany. However, the HYC claimed the decision contravenes Statute 2(A), Clause (2) of the NEHU Statutes, which provides that the senior-most serving professor should assume charge after the incumbent's tenure ends.
The Council questioned why Prof. Dr. R. Khongsdier of the Department of Anthropology, whom it identified as the University's senior-most serving professor, was overlooked despite the Ministry's order giving no reason for bypassing him.
Describing the appointment as contrary to the statutory provisions, the HYC said the move could affect the University's administrative functioning and urged the Governor to take up the matter with the President of India and the Ministry of Education for a review of the order.
The HYC said the Governor assured the delegation that the memorandum would be forwarded to the Ministry of Education for necessary examination.
