Students allege that his frequent absences have led to severe administrative stagnation and growing detachment between the university leadership and its students
Digital Desk: The Tezpur University is currently facing one of the most serious internal crises in its history as widespread student protests erupt over Vice Chancellor Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh’s prolonged absences and alleged administrative failures. What started as a silent dissatisfaction has now transformed to a full-fledged campus movement that is interfering with the normal educational and administration processes.
According to official records, Prof. Singh undertook 51 official trips between April 2023 and September 2025, spending a staggering 388 days away from campus. These visits were mostly to New Delhi and some visits to Jaipur and Guwahati. The Vice Chancellor also made an average of 16 days of travel each month in his 2 years and 5 months in office, with the longest trip being of 22 days (February 425, 2025) and the shortest a 1-day trip in July 2024.
Students allege that his frequent absences have led to severe administrative stagnation and growing detachment between the university leadership and its students. The Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) has come under particular scrutiny, as results for the May 2025 examinations remain undeclared. Learners claim they are being left without academic guidance, paying ₹500 per paper in examination fees despite minimal faculty interaction. Complaints of arbitrary marking, lack of communication, and absence of supervision in dissertation and project work have further fueled anger among distant learners.
This situation came to a breaking point on 8th October as hundreds of students once again took to the streets after being informed that Prof. Singh had been off-campus in the third week straight. The demonstrators required him to step down at once and hold the government more accountable.
Amid the turmoil, Acting Registrar Pritam Deb was relieved of his duties on 16th October following his resignation, approved by Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Raja Rafiqul Haque.
The unrest has deepened administrative instability, delaying key academic processes and eroding trust within the university community.
As tensions rise, pressure mounts on the Ministry of Education to intervene. So far, the university has not issued any official statement regarding Prof. Singh’s travel record or the ongoing protests.
Continue Reading
