BREAKING: Tezpur University Appoints Junior Prof. as Pro-VC, Campus Erupts in Protest

In the latest development, Tezpur University’s Board of Management (BoM) on Thursday appointed junior professor member Dr Joya Chakraborty as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the university, triggering an immediate backlash from students who have been protesting for months against the current administration.

The decision has reignited unrest on the campus, with students accusing the authorities of attempting a “backdoor takeover” of the university’s leadership while the post of Vice-Chancellor remains under intense scrutiny.

According to protesting students, Dr Chakraborty is a close associate of absconding Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh, under whose tenure the university has witnessed widespread allegations of corruption, nepotism and administrative irregularities. They argue that her appointment directly contradicts the spirit of their ongoing movement, which seeks a clean, transparent and independent leadership, not a temporary arrangement linked to the previous regime.

‘We Want a VC, Not a Pro-VC,

“Students want a Vice-Chancellor, not a Pro-Vice Chancellor,” students declared, warning that the appointment will only escalate the agitation rather than restore stability.

Tezpur University has been witnessing sustained protests for over two months now, with students, staff and faculty members uniting against what they have repeatedly described as a “corruption raj” under Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh. Demonstrations have included sit-ins, rallies, boycott of administrative functions and repeated appeals to the Centre to intervene. Notably, students claim Dr Chakraborty was never seen participating in or supporting the protest movement during this period.

CM Steps In, Urges Centre to Appoint Pro-VC

Meanwhile, just a day before the controversial appointment, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly addressed the ongoing crisis at the university through his social media handles. Sharing that he had spoken to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Chief Minister stated that he had urged for the immediate appointment of a Pro-Vice Chancellor to ensure academic stability while an impartial enquiry into the conduct of the current Vice-Chancellor was underway.

I spoke with Hon’ble Union Minister of Education Shri @dpradhanbjp today regarding the present situation at Tezpur University.
I urged the Honble Minister to appoint a Pro-Vice Chancellor immediately, pending an impartial enquiry into the conduct of the present Vice Chancellor,…

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) December 3, 2025

“I spoke with Hon’ble Union Minister of Education Shri @dpradhanbjp today regarding the present situation at Tezpur University. I urged the Hon’ble 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. I am confident that with the support of the Hon’ble Minister, the issues will be resolved at the earliest,” Sarma wrote.

However, the ground reality at the campus tells a different story. Instead of calming tempers, the Pro-VC appointment has further inflamed student anger, with many alleging that the process lacks transparency and moral legitimacy.

ALSO READ: Tezpur University Row: Absconding VC Calls for BoM Meeting. Teachers, Students Condemn