Tezpur University protest: Black-clad march unmasks ‘hidden corruption’ and campus misrule

The civil rights movement at Tezpur University entered its 38th day with a striking black-clad rally that turned the campus into a symbol of unity and defiance. 

Hundreds of students, along with members of the Tezpur University Teachers’ Association (TUTA) and the Tezpur University Non-Teaching Employees’ Association (TUNTEA), marched together wearing black clothes and masks—representing institutional mourning and what they called the “masked corruption” of the administration under the absconding Vice Chancellor, Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh.

The rally traversed the main stretches of the Napaam campus in a coordinated formation, attracting wide attention from students, faculty, and visitors. Protesters said the colour black represented grief and resistance against administrative injustice, while the masks signified the concealment and lack of accountability that have marked the past two and a half years of university governance.

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Participants reiterated that the protest was not a sudden outburst but a continuation of their month-long movement demanding transparency, integrity, and ethical leadership. They alleged that the administration engaged in corrupt and non-transparent practices that undermined academic functioning and institutional credibility. Protesters also raised concerns about large-scale environmental damage in the name of “beautification,” claiming that trees and natural spaces had been destroyed without consultation or ecological assessment.

Throughout the march, the protesters carried placards, maintained disciplined silence, and observed moments of reflection to symbolize the voices suppressed under administrative pressure. Their black masks, they said, were reminders that although truth may be hidden, it cannot remain so forever.

Members of TUTA, in a joint statement with TUNTEA and the student community, asserted that the ongoing movement is a collective struggle to “restore honesty, accountability, and ethical governance” to Tezpur University.

As the 38th day of protest concluded, the campus community reaffirmed its determination to continue the peaceful movement until justice is served and the dignity of the institution is fully restored.