In a significant development amid prolonged campus unrest, Tezpur University Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh has been directed to proceed on immediate leave. A high-level inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the serious allegations of financial irregularities and other issues leveled against him.
Committee Formed, V-C on Leave Pending Probe
A senior official from the Union Education Ministry confirmed the decision on Thursday, January 2, 2026. Shambhu Nath Singh will remain on leave until the completion of the inquiry. The ministry has appointed a three-member panel, led by Manipur University Vice-Chancellor Professor N Lokendra Singh, to conduct a thorough investigation.
The other members of this pivotal committee include Nagaland University V-C Prof Jagadish Kumar Patnaik and University Grants Commission (UGC) Secretary Manish R Joshi. This committee, constituted by the President of India in the capacity of Visitor to the central university, has been tasked with submitting its findings within a period of three months.
Months of Unrest Culminate in Decisive Action
The directive comes after months of intense protests that have disrupted the academic atmosphere at Tezpur University since September last year. Students and university staff have been demanding the removal of the Vice-Chancellor, citing alleged financial mismanagement and Singh's prolonged absence from the campus as primary grievances.
The agitation escalated in November when protesters declared an academic shutdown. The situation reached a critical point recently when demonstrators staged a 24-hour hunger strike, marking 100 days of their unsuccessful agitation. The protests also led to a leadership vacuum, with several university officials, including the then registrar in-charge, resigning from their posts.
Scope of the Inquiry and Previous Investigations
The newly formed inquiry panel has a broad mandate. It will examine all matters related to the ongoing crisis at Tezpur University, with a specific focus on the allegations against the V-C. The committee is also expected to review the findings of an earlier fact-finding committee report.
That preliminary committee was led by IIT Guwahati Director Devendra Jalihal and was set up in October by the Governor of Assam, who serves as the Chancellor of the university. Its report was submitted to the Governor, as confirmed by the Centre's response in Parliament last month.
In a related administrative move, the Education Ministry appointed Prof Amrendra Kumar Das from IIT Guwahati's Department of Design as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University until further orders, a communication sent on Wednesday stated.
Ministry's Intervention and the Path Forward
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, officials from the Education Ministry, led by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, visited the university campus in December 2025. During this visit, they held crucial meetings with representatives of the protesting staff and students to understand their concerns firsthand.
Shambhu Nath Singh was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Tezpur University in 2023 for a standard five-year term. The current inquiry will determine his future and, more importantly, aim to restore normalcy and trust in the institution's administration. The entire higher education community in India will be watching closely as this high-profile investigation unfolds over the next quarter.
