SDF flags ‘serious lapses’ in appointment of controversial Tezpur University officer to Sikkim University

The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has raised serious concerns over the appointment of Braja Bandhu Mishra as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University, alleging major lapses in transparency and due diligence during the recruitment process.

According to the SDF, Mishra—who was previously at the centre of grave financial irregularity allegations and student-related controversies at Tezpur University—appears to have secured a sensitive administrative post at Sikkim University without any proper background verification. The party stated that such an appointment “raises troubling questions about accountability and integrity within central universities.”

The SDF pointed out that Mishra had been absent from his duties at Tezpur University for over two months at a time when allegations of financial mismanagement and campus unrest were escalating. Despite this, he reportedly applied for, interviewed for, and received unanimous approval for the OSD post at Sikkim University during the same period.

Calling the speed and silence around the appointment “highly suspicious,” the SDF said the situation reflects poorly on institutional processes that are designed to protect public interest in national academic institutions.

The party demanded that Sikkim University’s Executive Council disclose how due diligence was carried out and why no thorough background check was conducted before finalising the appointment.
“As a centrally funded university, Sikkim University owes the people complete transparency,” the SDF stated.
“Why was a position of such administrative sensitivity processed with such unusual haste, and without scrutiny of the candidate’s past controversies?”

The SDF also urged Tezpur University to make public the current status of inquiries or objections raised during the period of unrest on its campus, asserting that students and faculty deserve clarity rather than “quiet transfers and unanswered questions.”

According to the SDF, the episode highlights a deeper flaw in the higher-education system—one that enables individuals facing serious allegations to move from one institution to another without accountability.

“Sikkim deserves clean governance and clean academic administration,” the party emphasised. “Any appointment involving financial responsibility must meet the highest standards of scrutiny.”

The SDF has called for an immediate review of the appointment, disclosure of the verification process, and a clear official statement from the authorities concerned.
“The people of Sikkim and the students of Sikkim University deserve nothing less,” it said.