Centre asks Tezpur University VC to go on leave, sets up probe panel

The ministry has also appointed Prof Amrendra Kumar Das of IIT-Guwahati as pro vice-chancellor of Tezpur University till further orders.

The move follows sustained agitation by students and faculty since mid-September 2025 over alleged administrative, ecological, and financial irregularities during Singh’s tenure. The protests on December 29 marked 100 days of unrest, featuring a 24-hour hunger strike that demanded his removal and prompt central government intervention.

According to officials, the three-member inquiry committee will examine all issues related to the ongoing situation at Tezpur University, including the allegations against V-C Shambhu Singh. The committee will be headed by Prof N Lokendra Singh, vice-chancellor of Manipur University; with Prof Jagadish Kumar Patnaik, vice-chancellor of Nagaland University; and Prof Manish R Joshi, secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC), as its members.