Tezpur University faces legal scrutiny over alleged irregularities in Deputy Registrar selection

A serious dispute has engulfed Tezpur University after allegations of procedural violations surfaced regarding the constitution of the Selection Committee for the post of Deputy Registrar, for which interviews were conducted in September 2024. 

The controversy escalated when candidate Dr Upakul Sarmah filed Writ Petition WP(C) 6620/2024 before the Gauhati High Court, arguing that the recruitment process was fundamentally unlawful and conducted in violation of the University’s own Ordinance No. 33.

According to the petition, Tezpur University’s job advertisement had clearly stated that the recruitment process would strictly follow Ordinance 33, which mandates that a panel of experts must be approved by the Board of Management (BoM)—the institution’s highest administrative body—before any interview board is constituted. Once approved, the Vice-Chancellor is authorised to nominate two experts from that panel.

However, the petition alleges that the BoM never approved any such panel. Instead, the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shambhu Nath Singh, allegedly bypassed the statutory requirement and nominated two experts of his own choice. This unilateral action, the petition argues, invalidated the very foundation of the Selection Committee and compromised the legality of the entire process.

The controversy deepened further with revelations concerning the then Finance Officer, Dr Braja Bandhu Mishra. He was reportedly approved and later ratified as a “special invitee” under the Woman/ST/SC/OBC/Minority category—despite being an upper-caste Hindu who does not fall under any of these reserved categories. Ordinance 33 contains no provision allowing a Finance Officer to be inducted into the Selection Committee under such a designation. Despite this violation, Dr Mishra participated in the board and effectively functioned as a member of the committee. The petition describes this as a grave procedural breach now under active judicial scrutiny.

The writ petition has challenged the validity of the entire Selection Committee, and the matter is presently being heard by the High Court. The petition further alleges that Dr Mishra acted in concert with Professor Singh to manipulate the recruitment process in favour of the candidate eventually selected for the Deputy Registrar post.

The situation grew more suspicious after Professor Singh abruptly disappeared from the Tezpur University campus on September 22, followed soon by the resignation of Dr Mishra. Recent information indicates that Dr Mishra has since secured a position at Sikkim University. Meanwhile, the Deputy Registrar selected through the allegedly illegal process has also resigned, citing personal reasons.

With multiple senior officials exiting in quick succession and the legitimacy of an entire recruitment process under judicial examination, Tezpur University now finds itself grappling with a crisis of credibility as the High Court continues to deliberate on the matter.