Tezpur University Row: Now Guards Protest Alleging Underpayment by Delhi Firm 'GDX'

Serious allegations have surfaced regarding the outsourcing of security services at Tezpur University, following the appointment of Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh as Vice-Chancellor. The university, which previously relied on the Assam Police Home Guard and North-East Security Service for campus security, has now entrusted the contract to Delhi-based GDX Security Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., leading to claims of irregularities in payments to security personnel.

According to official documents for August 2025, approved by the Vice-Chancellor himself, the university sanctioned ₹69,39,896 to GDX Security Solutions for security services. The move reportedly doubled the previous monthly expenditure of around ₹30–35 lakh under earlier arrangements.

Alleged Salary Discrepancies

Records show that GDX’s July 2025 tax invoice lists the daily wage of a security guard at ₹888.96, which should translate to ₹27,557.76 per month for a 31-day month. However, salary slips and fund transfer messages reveal that guards were actually paid only ₹15,000–16,335 per month, creating a discrepancy of approximately ₹8,000 per guard per month.

Sources claim that guards were made to work all 31 days of the month without proper leave, while the company deducted pay for supposed off days. One guard, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“The day we joined GDX, we were hired on a pay scale of ₹15,000 per month. We don’t get monthly off days. Earlier, while working under North-East Security Service, we had four off days a month. Here, they show on paper that we were on leave and take our signatures, but we were forced to work without pay for those days. From the beginning, irregularities have been ongoing. I have been working for one and a half years without any leave.”

If the reported discrepancy of ₹8,000 is applied across all 199 employees for July 2025, the total shortfall would amount to roughly ₹16 lakh, raising serious questions about the company’s payroll practices.

Controversy Over Contract Award

The timing of the contract’s award has also raised eyebrows. GDX Security Solutions was given the contract immediately after Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh assumed charge as VC, leading to speculation about possible conflicts of interest.

Earlier, on August 5, 2025, four individuals from the NAPAM area had written to the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) raising concerns about the university’s security arrangements. The current protest by security personnel appears to validate those complaints.

The fundamental question remains: Why did the university switch from a monthly expenditure of ₹30–35 lakh under previous agencies to paying ₹60–70 lakh to a Delhi-based firm, and whose interests does this decision serve?

Calls are now being made for a thorough inquiry into both the financial irregularities in salary payments and the tender allotment process.

Also Read: Tezpur University Students Stage Protest Over VC’s Absence and Alleged Irregularities