NEHUTA seeks new NEHU vice chancellor in a letter sent to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, asking the Centre to begin the appointment process before the current vice chancellor’s term ends on July 26, 2026 . The North Eastern Hill University Teachers’ Association says the ministry had already directed NEHU to start the process in February 2026 , but no public advertisement had been issued as of May 11, 2026 .
NEHUTA seeks new NEHU vice chancellor — what the teachers asked
The teachers’ body urged that there should be no extension for incumbent VC Prabha Shankar Shukla and asked the ministry to ensure a transparent, publicly advertised selection. NEHUTA said the move is needed to arrest what it described as academic and administrative decline at the university.
NEHUTA seeks new NEHU vice chancellor: reasons and concerns
NEHUTA’s letter lists a string of allegations: the association claims the VC has been absent from the Shillong headquarters for nearly 540 days while drawing full salary. It also accuses the administration of promoting nepotism and favouritism in recruitments, which NEHUTA says led to multiple legal disputes reaching the Meghalaya High Court.
The teachers’ body flagged alleged irregularities in construction projects linked to the Tura campus, estimated at nearly Rs 98 crore , and questioned how contracts were awarded. NEHUTA also raised concerns about the implementation of the National Education Policy at the undergraduate level, specifically uncertainty around the proposed fourth year for NEP programmes.
Impact on rankings and campus academic life
NEHUTA noted a decline in NEHU’s National Institutional Ranking Framework performance, saying the university fell from rank 59 in 2021 to the 151-200 band in 2025 . The association warned this drop reflects worsening academic indicators and could affect current and prospective students unless corrective steps follow.
The ministry’s February direction to initiate the VC appointment process is recorded in the teachers’ letter. NEHUTA says the lack of a public advertisement by May 11, 2026 underlines the urgency of ministerial intervention ahead of the VC’s term end.
The association’s complaints and demands are administrative facts reported in its letter to the Education Minister. The university administration or the incumbent vice chancellor has not been quoted in NEHUTA’s communication included in the letter. The association warned the institution risks further decline unless the appointment process and other concerns are addressed promptly.