V-C’s resignation exposes problems at Gauhati varsity

Singh, who had earlier handpicked Choudhury as Vice-Chancellor, apparently keeping Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Education Minister Ripun Bora out of the decision-making process, initially announced assumption of day-to-day responsibility of the university in his capacity as the Chancellor. The Gauhati University Teachers’ Association (GUTA) came out strongly against such a move.

The Governor on Wednesday appointed Okhil Kumar Medhi as V-C in-charge till a final decision was taken on the issue. Sources in the Raj Bhavan said the appointment of Medhi, the senior-most faculty member of the university, would at least remove hurdles as far as the day-to-day business of the university is concerned.

The biggest problem facing the university is funds, with the state Government providing only an annual grant of Rs 26 crore against the requirement of Rs 42 crore.

Choudhury in his resignation letter has mentioned that while the state Government has failed to release the 10 per cent UGC arrear amount payable to the university’s teachers, Dispur had also defaulted in releasing its share in the pension corpus fund for university employees. Choudhury’s plea to the Government to raise the retirement age of teachers to 62 years had also fallen on deaf ears.