Tezpur University has been thrust into a major controversy following serious allegations of procedural violations in the recruitment process for the post of Deputy Registrar, for which interviews were held in September 2024. The issue came to light after candidate Dr Upakul Sarmah filed Writ Petition WP(C) 6620/2024 before the Gauhati High Court, claiming the process breached the university’s statutory norms under Ordinance No. 33.
According to the petition, the university’s job advertisement explicitly stated that the recruitment would strictly adhere to Ordinance 33, which requires the Board of Management (BoM) to approve a panel of experts before a Selection Committee is formed. From this approved panel, the Vice-Chancellor is empowered to nominate two experts for the interview board. However, the petition alleges that the BoM never approved such a panel, and instead, then Vice-Chancellor Professor Shambhu Nath Singh unilaterally selected two experts of his choice. This alleged deviation, the petitioner argues, undermines the legality of the entire Selection Committee.
The controversy intensified with further revelations linked to the then Finance Officer, Dr Braja Bandhu Mishra. Despite being an upper-caste Hindu and not belonging to any reserved categories, Dr Mishra was reportedly approved and later ratified as a “special invitee” under the Woman/ST/SC/OBC/Minority category — a provision not permitted under Ordinance 33. Despite this irregularity, he participated in the interviews and functioned as a member of the Selection Committee. The petition describes this as a serious procedural breach now under judicial scrutiny.
The writ petition challenges the legitimacy of the entire recruitment process and alleges that Dr Mishra acted jointly with Professor Singh to influence the selection in favour of the candidate eventually chosen for the post. The situation gained further intrigue after Professor Singh abruptly left the Tezpur University campus on September 22, followed shortly by Dr Mishra’s resignation. Subsequent reports indicate that Dr Mishra has since taken up a position at Sikkim University. Meanwhile, the selected Deputy Registrar has also stepped down, citing personal reasons.
With senior officials departing in rapid succession and the integrity of the recruitment process now being examined by the Gauhati High Court, Tezpur University is confronting a deepening credibility challenge. The case continues to be heard, and its outcome is expected to have significant implications for the institution’s administrative accountability.
