51 trips, 388 days away: Tezpur University VC’s travel history sparks unrest among students

Tezpur University is grappling with a deepening crisis as widespread student protests erupt over Vice Chancellor Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh’s prolonged absences and alleged administrative mismanagement. The situation has snowballed into one of the most serious internal unrests in the university’s recent history.

Prof. Singh undertook 51 official visits between April 2023 and September 2025, spending an extraordinary 388 days away from the campus. The majority of these trips were to New Delhi, with occasional visits to Jaipur and Guwahati.

Over his 2 years and 5 months in office, Prof. Singh averaged nearly 16 days of travel per month, with his longest trip lasting 22 days (from February 4 to 25, 2025), and his shortest a one-day visit in July 2024.

Students have accused the Vice Chancellor of neglecting his academic and administrative responsibilities, claiming that his frequent absences have led to administrative stagnation and a growing communication gap between the university leadership and its students.

The discontent reached a flashpoint on October 8, when hundreds of students launched a renewed protest movement after learning that Prof. Singh had been off-campus for the third consecutive week. Demonstrators gathered across the university premises, demanding his immediate resignation and calling for greater accountability from the administration.

Amid the ongoing turmoil, Tezpur University witnessed yet another internal shake-up. Acting Registrar Pritam Dev was officially relieved of his duties on October 16, following his resignation request submitted to Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Raja Rafiqul Haque, who subsequently approved it.

Sources within the university suggest that the continuing administrative instability has further eroded confidence among faculty and students alike, with several academic activities and administrative processes reportedly delayed or disrupted.

The current unrest marks a critical moment for the central university, which has long been regarded as one of Assam’s premier higher education institutions. With students intensifying their agitation and demanding transparency from the administration, pressure is mounting on the Ministry of Education to step in and address the crisis.

As of now, university authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding Prof. Singh’s travel record or the growing student unrest.