Assam: Tezpur University Paralysed as Protests Deepen
Campus enters 74 days of unrest, with indefinite lockdown since November 27 as students, faculty and staff demand action against alleged corruption under VC Prof. S.N. Singh.
TEZPUR- Tezpur University has remained suspended in near-total administrative and academic paralysis for over two months as student-led protests enter their 74th day since beginning on September 22, 2025. The agitation, which intensified into an indefinite campus lockdown on November 27, is being spearheaded by the Tezpur University United Forum (TUUF) — a collective comprising students, the Tezpur University Teachers’ Association (TUTA), and non-teaching staff bodies.
Demonstrators accuse Vice-Chancellor Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh of financial misconduct, prolonged absenteeism, and governance failures, and are demanding institutional accountability through an inquiry, administrative restructuring, and suspension of the current VC pending investigation.
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The agitation has drawn solidarity from groups including the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Assam Sahitya Sabha, university alumni, and regional activists. Daily protest actions — from sit-ins and torch rallies to symbolic displays highlighting alleged procurement inflation — continue to draw large participation. The university’s main Jyoti Gate remains blocked, academic buildings closed for over a week, and semester examinations have been rescheduled for the first time in the university’s history due to unrest.
The core accusations include:
- Financial & Procurement Irregularities: inflated tenders, unauthorised expenditure, non-transparent contracts, and reports of furniture billed far above market price (e.g., a ₹500 chair cited as costing ₹20,000).
- Governance Lapses: VC absence spanning over 388 cumulative days, with 73+ days since September alone, leading to stalled recruitment, delayed research approvals, and a decline in rankings.
- Insensitive Conduct: Students allege that denial of a condolence meet for late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg triggered unrest, further aggravated by remarks attributed to the VC.
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At least 11 senior officials have resigned citing administrative collapse, including the Finance Officer, Chief Engineer, PRO, Registrar-in-Charge, multiple Deans and Directors — an unprecedented exodus in the institution’s 31-year history.
Key Timeline (Nov 27 – Dec 4, 2025)
| Date | Developments |
|---|---|
| Nov 27 | Students enforce complete campus shutdown; protests spill to streets demanding dialogue with finance & engineering wings. |
| Nov 29 | TUUF declares indefinite shutdown; night sit-ins and tyre-burning protests. |
| Nov 30–Dec 1 | Symbolic demonstrations continue; Assam Sahitya Sabha urges immediate resolution. |
| Dec 2 | End-term exams rescheduled; MP Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM Modi; Ajit Bhuyan raises issue in Parliament. |
| Dec 3 | AASU launches massive torch rally; CM proposes Pro-VC — rejected by protest groups seeking Acting VC + inquiry. |
| Dec 4 | No breakthrough; protests intensify; TUTA urges Centre & State to intervene to prevent academic loss. |
Union Education Ministry informed Parliament of the VC’s absence status while discussions between Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan remain ongoing. Protesters insist that any negotiation must involve inquiry report publication, interim administrative leadership, and action against implicated officials.
With no resolution in sight, the impasse risks long-term academic fallout, affecting research deadlines, admission cycles, and semester progression for thousands.
