SHILLONG, Nov 26 - The Meghalaya Confederation for Academic Welfare (MeCAW) has petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Vice Chancellor (VC) SK Srivastava and appoint a full-time VC through a search-cum-selection committee.
The MeCAW comprises civil society bodies, teachers� associations, student bodies and other stakeholders of the education sector in the State.
While calling for the immediate removal of Srivastava, the MeCAW alleged that the incumbent VC has violated statutory provisions of �academic, administrative and financial management of the university leading to all-round vitiation of academic atmosphere by Srivastava�s handpicked cabal�.
It alleged that the present VC has failed to pass mandatory annual reports, annual accounts, audit reports and budget estimates in the annual court meetings held between 2016 and 2019. �Such an act of omission was carried out with a mala fide scheme,� MeCAW convener Roykupar Synrem alleged.
The organisation also alleged that Srivastava has mostly remained absent during his tenure. He failed to answer an RTI filed by stakeholders in his absence. �MeCAW is greatly concerned about Srivastava�s abuse of power by removal of two Heads of Departments, harassment meted out to women faculty and research scholars,� the memorandum addressed to Modi, added.
The MeCAW further alleged that Srivastava appointed juniors as deans by superseding seniors in schools of studies.
�Being a caretaker VC, Srivastava is proposing to take a huge loan of Rs 136 crore without discussing it with stakeholder bodies of teachers and students. This clearly shows a mala fide intent,� Synrem added.
The MeCAW has also demanded that �all the cases of corruption, favouritism� be investigated against Srivastava and accountability be fixed.
