Gauhati High Court quashes Rajiv Mohan Pant’s appointment as Assam University VC

The Gauhati High Court has quashed the appointment of Professor Rajiv Mohan Pant as Vice-Chancellor of Assam University, observing that he did not meet the mandatory 10-year experience requirement prescribed under the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.

In an order dated October 14, 2026, the court directed the authorities to complete a fresh appointment process within four months from the date of receiving a certified copy of the order. The ruling came in response to a quo warranto petition filed by Dr Sameera Behera, according to reports on the order.

The petitioner had challenged Pant’s appointment on the ground that he lacked the required 10 years of experience for the post. The court reportedly observed that he did not fulfil the experience criterion under any of the eligibility categories prescribed by the UGC Regulations, 2018.

The court also examined Pant’s experience as a professor at the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) and his tenure as director of the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD). It observed that the two periods of experience, taken together, did not satisfy the mandatory 10-year requirement.

The court further flagged procedural shortcomings in the vice-chancellor selection process under the UGC regulations. According to reports on the order, the Search-cum-Selection Committee had not adequately documented its assessment of the candidates’ eligibility.

In view of these findings, the court directed the authorities to initiate a fresh appointment process and complete it within four months of receiving the certified copy of the order.

Until a regular vice-chancellor is appointed, the university authorities have been directed to entrust the responsibility to an eligible person in accordance with the university’s governing laws and regulations.

The court, however, clarified that the salary and other allowances received by Pant during his tenure as vice-chancellor would not be recovered.

The ruling has brought the eligibility criteria for senior university appointments and the role of selection committees under renewed scrutiny, particularly regarding the verification of mandatory qualifications before a candidate is appointed to the post.