The students of Tezpur University in Assam have confirmed receipt of an informal written communication from the Centre that an inquiry will be initiated into the allegations against Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh.
While viewed as a preliminary acknowledgement, students and the united front of faculty and non-teaching staff said that their protest, which has been continuing for over 80 days, remains unwavering.
They demand an official, formal notification from the Ministry of Education and concrete action before ceasing agitation.
The handwritten letter states that Shambhu Nath Singh will be divested of the university's administrative power. It further assures a time-bound inquiry into all allegations.
However, the university community has resolved to continue complete non-compliance and non-cooperation until a formal, concrete agreement is officially received.
In related developments, the Joint Director has communicated that the status quo shall be maintained regarding the appointment of acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dhruba K Bhattacharya, until further notice.
The crisis at Tezpur University took a significant turn after an official RTI (Right to Information) reply revealed that multiple key documents related to the appointment and academic qualifications of Shambhu Nath Singh are "not available in the office".
The disclosure came at a time when the university has already been paralysed for over two months due to widespread protests led by students and faculty demanding Singh's removal.
