Meghalaya's NEHU students initiate hunger strike, announce university in 'lockdown'

Frustrated by the lack of response to their demands, students of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) initiated an indefinite hunger strike on November 5. They also declared a complete lockdown of the university starting November 6.

The students of the university have put forward a range of demands, including the removal of the registrar and deputy registrar, the appointment of a pro Vice-Chancellor for the Tura campus, the prompt holding of PGSU elections, and the provision of basic amenities.

Following a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Professor Prabha Shankar Shukla, Toniho Kharsati, the General Secretary of the NEHU Student Union (NEHUSU), expressed that the VC was not willing to address the long-standing demands that had been repeatedly submitted through various memorandums.

The protest has gained support from the KSU NEHU Unit and the Meghalaya Tribal Teachers' Association (MeTTA) at NEHU.

Meanwhile, the university's non-teaching staff are also on a strike, demanding that their issues are addressed.

Earlier, this week, the Garo Students' Union (GSU) wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Professor Prabha Shankar Shukla, demanding the appointment of a Pro Vice-Chancellor (Pro-VC) at the university's Tura campus. 

Additionally, the union called for the immediate conduct of the PGSU elections, stating that students need an officially organised union to represent their grievances and effectively advocate the vital link between the student body and the administration.

In a letter to VC Shukla, the GSU said, “We put forth our request that the post of the Pro-VC be immediately recouped with sense of urgency and responsibility.”