Is Tezpur University Under Sine Die While the VC Has Escaped?

Tezpur University is in turmoil — and at the centre of the storm is Vice Chancellor Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh, whose controversial handling of student demands has triggered one of the largest campus uprisings in recent memory.

What began as a simple plea for cultural sensitivity during Assam’s three-day mourning for music icon Zubeen Garg has snowballed into a full-fledged standoff between the students and the university administration.

A Crisis Sparked by Insensitivity

On September 21, as the entire state observed mourning for Zubeen Garg, the university went ahead with its TUSC student elections, a move that enraged both students and faculty. To them, Zubeen was not just a singer but a voice of Assamese identity — and holding elections felt tone-deaf and disrespectful.

When students sought an apology from the Vice Chancellor, they claim he dismissed them with a mocking retort: “Don’t make it funny.” That single remark turned simmering anger into open revolt.

A Night of Vigil, A VC Missing in Action

Students staged peaceful demonstrations through the night, lighting lamps and gathering till 4:30 a.m. to seek an apology. Instead of dialogue, they allege, the VC left midway through the discussions — and has been “missing” from campus ever since.

Speaking to Pratidin Time, a student said, “We had no motive to cause any uproar. We just lit lamps to offer condolences to Zubeen Da. But without any proper notice, without even a proper seal or signature, the administration suddenly declared the university closed till October 3. They have delayed our fellowships — this month we won’t get anything, next month also no hope. They shut down campus Wi-Fi, shops, and now even the hostel mess might be closed. This is not administration, this is collective punishment.”

Administration Accused of Suppressing Dissent

Students allege that the decision to prepone the Autumn Recess from September 29 to September 24 was a calculated attempt to disperse protests. “For regional festivals, they never grant holidays, but to save themselves from accountability, they shut everything down overnight,” said another student.

The Teachers’ Association has reportedly extended moral support to the students, urging them not to back down. “If we give up now, we will face retaliation later. We will gather in front of the administration block today,” said another student.

The Rot Runs Deep

Critics argue that this is not an isolated incident. Former students have also come forward, accusing the VC and administration of chronic mismanagement: delayed scholarship disbursals, poor hostel infrastructure, frequent power cuts, and falling academic rankings.

“He has never respected students. For him and the entire administration, it is about sitting in AC rooms. Even processing a scholarship takes months. The rot runs deep,” a former TU student told Pratidin Time.

Prof. Singh’s past tenure elsewhere was already clouded by allegations of financial irregularities — and now students fear the current administration has completely lost touch with the ethos of a central university meant to serve as a hub of critical thought and cultural respect.

A University at a Crossroads

As Assam continues to mourn its most beloved cultural icon, Tezpur University stands accused of choosing indifference over empathy. What was once considered one of the most vibrant campuses in the Northeast now looks like a ghost town — classes suspended, offices shut, students left in limbo, and the Vice Chancellor nowhere to be seen.

The question now is whether Tezpur University will confront its crisis of credibility or continue down this path of administrative high-handedness. For the students, the demand remains unchanged — dignity, accountability, and a simple apology.

Until then, the campus remains on edge — and many say this moment will go down as the time when Tezpur University turned its back on the very students who give it life.

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