Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court stripped Rajive Mohan Pant of his position as Vice-Chancellor of Assam University on October 14, 2026. Justice N. Unni Krishnan Nair ruled that Pant failed to meet the 10-year experience mandate set by the University Grants Commission Regulations, 2018. The decision followed a quo warranto petition, WP(C)/7283/2025, filed by Mathematics Professor Samira Behera.
Pant had served under seven years as a professor at the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology and roughly six and a half years as director of the National Institute of Rural Development. His legal team argued he could combine these tenures because he kept a lien on his professorial post. The court rejected this interpretation.
Justice Nair cited the Supreme Court precedent in Prof Narendra Singh Bhandari vs Ravindra Jugran to hold that these eligibility paths remain mutually exclusive. The court noted that keeping a lien does not equal continuous service. Furthermore, the Search-cum-Selection Committee failed to document eligibility assessments for candidates, violating Regulation 7.3(ii).
The ruling sets aside the original appointment order from January 14, 2022. Authorities must now start a fresh selection process within four months. Until then, the university must appoint an eligible interim lead.
Pradosh Kiran Nath, the university registrar, stated the institution will wait for the certified order and guidance from the Union Ministry of Education. Nath noted the university is not the primary appointing authority, as the President of India makes the formal appointment. "The university will consult senior professors and seek legal advice before deciding on its next steps," Nath said. The court ruled that Pant will keep the salary and allowances he earned during his tenure.
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