NEHU Pro Vice-Chancellor Resigns Amid Administrative Crisis

Guwahati:Professor S. Umdor has resigned as Pro Vice-Chancellor ofNorth-Eastern Hill University(NEHU), citing an increasingly unworkableadministrative situationmarked by leadership gaps, repeated resignations, and sustained unrest on campus.Professor Umdor’s resignation will take effect from the afternoon of December 15, 2025. He formally communicated his decision during a meeting with deans and senior officers held on December 12. His exit follows months during which he oversaw the university’s academic and administrative affairs almost single-handedly, as the Vice-Chancellor remained away from the Shillong campus and the state of Meghalaya.His departure adds to a growing list of senior exits at NEHU. In recent weeks, the registrar, finance officer, and several senior faculty members handling additional administrative responsibilities have also stepped down, deepening the governance crisis at the university.Despite these challenges, Professor Umdor’s tenure witnessed the continuation of key academic and administrative functions. The university managed operations amid a sharp 42 per cent cut in UGC recurring grants for the 2025–26 financial year. NEHU conducted end-of-semester examinations on schedule and cleared long-pending teacher promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme at Levels 11 and 12, along with promotions of non-teaching staff through the Departmental Promotion Committee.During this period, the administration also commissioned a 100-seat girls’ hostel with an additional 24 beds, finalised recruitment advertisements for non-teaching posts, and complied with multiple court directives. NEHU successfully hosted the Smart India Hackathon 2025, advanced the NEP-UG programme into its fifth semester with revised curricula featuring internships, vocational courses, and MOOCs, and conducted CUET-based admissions for affiliated colleges in Meghalaya for the first time.However, attempts by Professor Umdor to convene Executive Council meetings under the Vice-Chancellor’s chairmanship encountered strong resistance from student groups and staff associations, intensifying campus unrest. To address the impasse, he proposed that the Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Tura campus temporarily chair the meetings, but authorities did not accept the proposal. He maintained that such an arrangement could have ensured timely decisions on urgent student and staff welfare issues.In his resignation statement, Professor Umdor said frequent objections to routine administrative and academic decisions had led to delays and operational disruptions. He stated that the lack of institutional support and ongoing uncertainty over critical governance matters made it impossible to continue in office while upholding standards of accountability and professionalism.Expressing appreciation for the cooperation he received during his tenure, Professor Umdor voiced hope that NEHU would regain stability in the near future.With his resignation, the university now faces the dual challenge of appointing new leadership and addressing the structural governance issues that have triggered the current administrative crisis.Related