Tezpur University Plunges Into Crisis: Campus Wakes Up to 3 VCs, Unprecedented Chaos In Indian Academia

In an extraordinary and unprecedented moment in Indian higher education, Tezpur University on Friday woke up to the reality of three claimants to the Vice-Chancellor’s chair, throwing the institution into deep administrative turmoil.

The university currently has:

• Vice-Chancellor Dr. Shambhunath Singh — absconding for nearly two months;
• Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Joya Chakraborty — appointed by the Board of Management (BoM) on Thursday;
• Acting Vice-Chancellor Dr. Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya — who assumed charge as the senior-most professor under the Tezpur University Act, with overwhelming support from faculty, staff, and students.

Inside the campus, Dr. Bhattacharyya is universally recognised as the legitimate Acting VC. But in the corridors of power in Delhi, Dr. Singh’s technical authority remains intact, creating a leadership split never before witnessed in any Indian university.

The crisis escalated sharply when the BoM appointed junior professor Dr. Joya Chakraborty as Pro-VC, a move that instantly triggered widespread protests.

As the BoM pushed ahead, the academic community invoked the University Statute, which clearly states that when both the VC and Pro-VC are absent, the senior-most Dean shall automatically assume charge of Vice-Chancellor.

This legal position was also affirmed in the Lok Sabha on December 1, when Union HRD Minister Dharmendra Pradhan cited the same statutory provision in response to a question raised by Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi.

Acting on this mandate, Dr. Bhattacharyya took charge, creating a rare and unprecedented scenario where the university now has two parallel administrations — one backed by the BoM and another by the broader university community.

BoM Appointment Sparks Outrage

According to students leading the agitation, Dr. Chakraborty is a close confidante of Dr. Singh, and her appointment directly undermines their two-month-long struggle for transparent and independent leadership.

“We want a Vice-Chancellor, not a Pro-Vice Chancellor,” protesters declared, warning that the move would intensify their agitation.

For the past several weeks, students have staged sit-ins, rallies, class boycotts, and submitted appeals to the Centre. They allege the campus plunged into a “corruption raj” under Dr. Singh’s tenure and accuse the BoM of shielding him despite significant public pressure.

Meanwhile, the officially appointed VC, Dr. Singh, remains untraceable — leaving the university adrift without a functioning head.

Chief Minister’s Intervention Adds New Dimension

Adding a political layer to the crisis, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that he had spoken to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging the immediate appointment of a Pro-VC to maintain academic stability pending an enquiry into Dr. Singh’s conduct.

But the BoM’s decision — widely seen as favouring Dr. Singh’s loyalists — has inflamed tensions instead of calming them, with students calling the appointment opaque, unacceptable, and devoid of moral legitimacy.

Campus on Edge

With an absconding VC, a BoM-appointed Pro-VC, and a Statute-backed Acting VC, Tezpur University is witnessing a governance collapse without precedent in the history of Indian academia.

Administrative functioning is paralysed, legitimacy is split, and the campus is deeply polarised. As protests grow louder, so do calls for direct Central intervention.

For now, the university remains trapped in a three-way power struggle — with no clarity on who truly leads the institution or when this crisis will finally be resolved.

Also Read: Tezpur University Row: Absconding VC Calls for BoM Meeting. Teachers, Students Condemn