Hope to return to normalcy in colleges after protests stop
Shillong: After a meeting between the two factions on Thursday, the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which was protesting against Vice Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla, decided to end its agitation. As a result, normalcy is expected to eventually return to the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) as well as the protesting colleges.
JAC President Lakhon Kema announced that the organization would end its agitation for the time being. He further said, the decision was taken in response to their request for five days to address all their demands, which also included the dismissal of Rohit Prasad from the university as senior advisor and technical officer. According to Lakhon KMA, it was decided to establish two committees: one to examine quotas for educationally underdeveloped areas, with a student-elected chairman; And secondly to check the marking scheme, hostel accommodation and medical services. The Chairman and members of the second committee will be selected by the NEHU Academic Council.
He said the VC had promised to address the demand for appointment of engineers and statutory officers of the university as well as relieving the teaching and non-teaching staff of their ministerial duties. Most of these issues will be discussed and decided in the next meeting of the Academic Council, which is scheduled in the first week of December. Lakhon KMA also revealed that the VC has approved the students to be able to have a representative in the Academic Council and the university will arrange an annual convocation.
Earlier, in response to the demands of a protesting group at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), the university administration had issued a statement to clarify its stand on the charter of demands and the issues raised by the protesters. NEHU Vice-Chancellor, Prabha Shankar Shukla highlighted this when he addressed the appointment of Rohit Prasad during a press conference held a week ago. He further informed that the interviews for the posts of Statutory Officers and University Engineer are scheduled on November 20 and 22, 2023, for which preparations are going well.
