Gaurav Gogoi warns of ‘systematic capture of universities’ after NEHU pro vice-chancellor resigns

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has accused the Modi government of systematic neglect and political interference in central universities across the Northeast, following the resignation of the pro vice-chancellor at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in Meghalaya.

Gogoi said the resignation exposes "deep governance failures" and warned that "students, teachers, and staff are paying the price" of what he described as "absentee leadership and eroding accountability across central universities".

The Assam MP referenced Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary warnings about political interference in vice-chancellor appointments, stating this had "hollowed out academic institutions" and was "undermining academic autonomy, destabilising campuses, and weakening the foundations of our education system and democracy".

Professor S Umdor stepped down as pro vice-chancellor of NEHU on 15 December 2025, citing an untenable administrative environment. His resignation came after months of managing the university's academic and administrative functions during the vice-chancellor's prolonged absence from campus and Meghalaya. Multiple senior officials have also departed the institution amid growing campus unrest.

Prof Umdor announced his decision at a meeting with deans and officers on Friday, December 12,  with his resignation taking effect on Sunday afternoon, December 15.

Gogoi also pointed to Tezpur University in Assam, where similar administrative difficulties persist, suggesting a pattern of dysfunction across central universities in the region.