Shillong: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) stormed the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) on Thursday. They demanded the immediate resignation of acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Saroj Kanta Barik. The group claims Barik usurped a position reserved for the school's most senior professor. Education secretary Enlang Sawian led the protest outside the VC office. They carried signs reading, “Save NEHU, Save Its Autonomy,” and “Restore the Rule of Law.”
The council argues Prof. R. Khongsdier of the Department of Anthropology should hold the post. They allege the appointment ignored statutory bodies and formal regulations. Because Barik was in Kolkata, the protesters left a formal memorandum for him. They requested a sit-down meeting this coming Monday. The HYC previously met with Governor CH Vijayashankar on Wednesday to seek his intervention.
The move sparked instant backlash. Critics on social media accused the HYC of peddling drama and local identity politics. Users warned that constant turmoil risks the Central government moving the university out of the state. Many argued that administrative experience and merit should trump rigid seniority rules.
The university student body quickly pushed back against the protesters. NEHUSU president Melamlynti Markhap called the intervention a distraction. He noted that student and teacher groups spent two years fighting to restore normalcy. The union wants to avoid another round of instability. “HYC’s love for drama is honestly unmatched. Every single week there’s a new outrage,” wrote one social media critic.
Markhap insisted the focus must stay on the National Education Policy 2020 and pending academic reforms. He warned that the student union would not back any action threatening current progress. Stakeholders want to fix the convocation schedule and administrative backlog. They are done with the fighting.
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