To defuse the prolonged crisis at Assam's Tezpur University, the Education Ministry has directed Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh to immediately proceed on leave and has constituted a three-member inquiry committee to probe allegations against him and the circumstances that led to the ongoing campus crisis.
To ensure administrative continuity during the probe, the ministry has also appointed Professor Amrendra Kumar Das of IIT Guwahati as pro-vice-chancellor of the university, till further orders.
Panel To Examine Allegations, Campus Crisis
According to officials, the inquiry committee will look into all aspects of the ongoing situation at the central university, including charges levelled against the Vice-Chancellor. The panel will be chaired by professor N Lokendra Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, with Prof Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, and Prof Manish R Joshi, Secretary of the University Grants Commission (UGC), as members.
An office memorandum issued by the Education Ministry on December 31 states that the committee has been asked to carry out a detailed and comprehensive examination of the findings and recommendations of an earlier fact-finding committee report submitted by the Office of the Chancellor of Tezpur University.
Background To The Probe
The fact-finding panel was set up on October 8 by Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, who is also the Chancellor of Tezpur University, to inquire into allegations against VC Singh. The committee visited the campus in mid-October and submitted its report, though its conclusions have not been made public so far.
The newly constituted inquiry committee will also assess the circumstances that triggered the present crisis, including a series of resignations and changes in charge among senior university officials. It will visit the campus, interact with students, faculty and other stakeholders, and scrutinise relevant documents, records and communications.
The panel has been asked to submit its report as early as possible, and within a maximum period of three months from December 31.
Protests Since September
The action comes nearly three months after protests began in mid-September 2025, with students and faculty protesting alleged administrative lapses, financial irregularities and ecological damage during Singh's tenure. Demonstrators have also accused the university administration of disrespecting Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg during a period of public mourning.
Tensions peaked on September 22 following a heated confrontation between the Vice-Chancellor and students, after which Singh largely stayed away from the campus. The agitation reached a symbolic milestone on December 29, when protesters marked 100 days of unrest with a 24-hour hunger strike, demanding Singh's removal and swift intervention by the central government.
Since the protests began, at least 11 faculty members and senior officials have resigned from their posts or from the university, highlighting the depth of the crisis at one of Assam's premier central universities.
