Massive uproar at Tezpur University over alleged appointment of Pro-VC, students condemn decision

Tensions at Tezpur University escalated sharply on Thursday, December 4 as students and faculty launched massive protests against the alleged appointment of Dr. Joya Chakraborty as the institution’s Pro-Vice Chancellor. The campus remained shut for the sixth consecutive day, with demonstrators alleging that her appointment was made “arbitrarily” and without stakeholder consultation.

Though an official order on the alleged appointment of Prof Dr Joya Chakraborty as the University's Pro-Vice Chancellor is yet to be released, students protesting at the site condemned the decision and have begun shouting slogans against the professor. 

As per sources, Dr. Chakraborty, a senior professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, has previously held multiple administrative positions within the university. Her elevation to Pro-VC, however, comes amid a deepening crisis over the leadership of Vice Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh, whose removal students have been demanding for days.

The agitation intensified overnight, with students burning tyres, raising slogans, and staging rallies across the university premises. Faculty members joined in, expressing concern over the “breakdown of transparency” and urging the Centre to intervene.

Amid the mounting unrest, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on December 3 said he had spoken to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan regarding the turmoil. In a statement on X posted on December 3, Sarma said he urged the Minister to appoint a Pro-Vice Chancellor immediately “pending an impartial enquiry into the conduct of the present Vice Chancellor, so that academic stability is maintained.” The Chief Minister expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved at the earliest with the Centre’s support.

Despite the government’s assurances, protests show no sign of waning. Students maintain that the appointment of Dr. Chakraborty without consultation reflects a larger administrative failure within the university. The shutdown has disrupted academic activities, raising concerns over examinations and semester schedules.