Shillong, Sept 21: The Joint Action Committee of NEHU comprising of the Associations and Unions of three stake holders of Teachers’, Students and Non-Teaching Employees appealed to the President of India, the Visitor of NEHU not to give extension to outgoing incumbent Vice-Chancellor.
The JAC opposed his extension on the grounds that Prof. S.K. Srivastava failed in all respects and thereby the University has been brought down to the lowest level in all ranking assessments; and since Prof. S.K. Srivastava is an applicant for the second term.
The JAC alleged that any extension given to him would allow him to exert undue influence on the selection process of the new Vice-Chancellor, as the selection process for the post of Vice-Chancellor is already under process.
In such a case of extending him, being an applicant, shall also be immoral and unethical and unprecedented as in the history of NEHU, no incumbent Vice-Chancellor has so far been given an extension.
As per NEHU statute 2(A) (2), after the term of office of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor is over, the seniormost Professor shall normally take over the charge of the office of the Vice Chancellor until a new Vice Chancellor is appointed.
Ignoring this proviso shall be highly immoral, unless there is an exceptional need for extension with very sound grounds. There is no such exceptional ground that the incumbent Vice Chancellor Prof. S.K. Srivastava should be extended.
Further, giving extension to Prof. S.K. Srivastava even after his non performance and mismanagement, as raised by way of peaceful protests and demonstrations by teaching, nonteaching and students shall remain incorrect on moral grounds.
Especially National Women’s commission, State Women’s Commission are seized with enquiries into cases of harassment against Prof. S.K. Sriavstava. National Scheduled Tribes’ Commission too is investigating harassment case by a local indigenous woman Professor against Prof. S.K. Srivastava.
Even after four years of retirement, a Professor filed an FIR with Police on non-release of his gratuity and transfer transport allowance. Given all these serious breach of academic collegiality by Prof. S.K. Srivastava, any extension of him shall be highly immoral.
The JAC restate that Prof. S.K. Srivastava’s regime has damaged the University beyond immediate repair and hence offering him an extended term would be direct encouragement of destruction of the sacred temple of learning meant for Meghalaya and Northeastern region.
Therefore, the Joint Action Committee shall not accept any such undue and morally incorrect extension to Prof. S.K. Srivastva and shall continue its peaceful protest to defend the interest of the University and the region said Prof Xavier P. Mao Chairman, Joint Action Committee.
