Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Prof. Saroj Kanta Barik will take charge of North-Eastern Hill University as acting Vice-Chancellor on July 27. The President of India approved the appointment after the tenure of incumbent Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla ends on July 26. The Ministry of Education confirmed the transition in a July 22 order sent to the university registrar.
Barik, a senior professor in the Department of Botany, steps in until the Centre names a permanent successor. He previously stabilized the Shillong campus in December 2023 when he filled the void left by a resigning Pro Vice-Chancellor. His new role comes after months of campus unrest and protests concerning administrative governance. Shukla has been largely absent from the university since November 2024.
The search for a regular leader continues. The Ministry of Education invited applications on May 20, requiring candidates to have 10 years of professor-level experience and high integrity. However, the search-cum-selection committee remains paralyzed. The Ministry has yet to name a committee chairman despite the NEHU Executive Council nominating two members. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma previously flagged the leadership gap to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Sangma told the press, "The vice-chancellor's appointment as an immediate priority, Sangma thanked the Union minister for his support in strengthening educational institutions and expanding opportunities for young people in the region."
Beyond the staffing crisis, officials are still weighing the expansion of the Captain Williamson Sangma State University and upgrades to the NEHU Tura campus. For now, Barik holds the reins in Shillong.
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