Students question transparency in former Tezpur University officer’s appointment as OSD at Sikkim University

The Sikkim University Students’ Association (SUSA) has raised strong objections to the recent appointment of a former Finance Officer from Tezpur University as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Sikkim University, calling the move “questionable and lacking transparency.”

In an official statement issued by SUSA General Secretary and spokesperson Bimarsh Gurung, the association criticised the Vice-Chancellor’s justification—given during a media interview—that the appointment was made due to an “urgent requirement.” SUSA argued that this explanation fails to address key concerns regarding procedural clarity, the timing of the recruitment, and the criteria used for selecting the candidate.

The students’ body further questioned why the statutory post of Finance Officer has remained vacant for an extended period, while a new special post was created and filled swiftly. They asserted that the urgency cited by the administration does not justify bypassing the long-pending vacancy in a crucial statutory role.

SUSA also highlighted a timeline of events that, according to them, raises “serious credibility issues.” The notification for the OSD post was issued on October 19, while the selected candidate resigned from Tezpur University on November 30. The association claimed that the sequence suggests an “unusually fast-track process” through which an individual allegedly facing controversy at another institution was brought into a senior position at Sikkim University.

The student body warned that such practices create an impression that Sikkim University is becoming a destination for administrative transfers linked to unresolved disputes elsewhere, thereby undermining the institution’s integrity.

SUSA has urged the university administration to provide a detailed clarification and ensure greater transparency in future appointments to protect the credibility of the institution.