Tezpur University Crisis: Vice-Chancellor Sent on Leave, Probe Panel Formed
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A major development has unfolded at Tezpur University in Assam, where the Union Ministry of Education has asked Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh to go on immediate leave. This move comes nearly three months after protests erupted on campus over alleged administrative, ecological, and financial irregularities during Singh's tenure. The protests, which began in mid-September 2025, have seen sustained agitation by students and faculty, with the latest 24-hour hunger strike on December 29 marking 100 days of unrest. The Ministry has also appointed Prof Amrendra Kumar Das of IIT-Guwahati as pro vice-chancellor of Tezpur University till further orders. A three-member inquiry committee has been set up to investigate the allegations against Singh. The committee will be headed by Prof N Lokendra Singh, vice-chancellor of Manipur University, along with Prof Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, vice-chancellor of Nagaland University, and Prof Manish R Joshi, secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The probe panel will examine all issues related to the ongoing situation at Tezpur University, including the allegations against Singh. The committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed and comprehensive inquiry into the findings and recommendations of the fact-finding committee report submitted by the office of the chancellor of Tezpur University. The situation at Tezpur University has remained tense since mid-September, with students accusing the vice-chancellor and the administration of disrespecting cultural icon Zubeen Garg during a period of public mourning. At least 11 faculty members and senior officials have resigned from their posts or from the university since the unrest began. The committee has been asked to submit its report 'as early as possible and within a maximum duration of three months' from December 31. The development is seen as a significant step towards resolving the crisis at Tezpur University, which has been marred by unrest and uncertainty for over three months.
