Students launched the latest phase of protest after weeks of sit-ins and demonstrations that started around September 21–22, citing alleged financial irregularities, administrative lapses and neglect of infrastructure under the current VC. Tensions spiked after a heated face-off between students and the VC in late September, following which Prof. Singh has allegedly stayed away from the campus for over two months, deepening anger among stakeholders.
Protesters say their demand is “non-negotiable”: immediate suspension of the “absconding” VC, appointment of an acting vice-chancellor, and publication of enquiry reports by a governor-appointed fact-finding committee and a Union Education Ministry team. They argue that without these steps, normalcy and trust cannot be restored in the 1994-founded central university, which was created as a key outcome of the Assam Accord and carries strong regional sentiment.
Since November 29, students under the Tezpur University United Forum (TUUF) have blocked all entry and exit points, including the main Jyoti Gate, effectively stopping classes, exams, research work and most official functions. The administration has cancelled end-term examinations, while many labs, libraries and offices remain locked, turning the campus into a protest site with banners, sit-ins and nightly demonstrations.
Both the Tezpur University Teachers’ Association and the Non-Teaching Employees’ Association have formally backed the agitation, saying routine administration has collapsed due to the VC’s extended absence and unresolved corruption allegations. Protest leaders insist the shutdown will remain indefinite until the Centre steps in and concrete action is taken on the enquiry findings, warning that the crisis has already caused acute academic and emotional stress for students.
The prolonged turmoil has reportedly triggered a wave of resignations, with at least 11 officials and faculty members – including the PRO, in-charge registrar, several deans and the finance officer – stepping down from their administrative roles during the agitation. Critics within and outside the campus say the exodus signals a deep governance crisis that cannot be solved by routine administrative assurances.
The unrest has also reverberated in Assam’s political arena, with Congress legislators staging a walkout in the state Assembly, alleging irregularities at the university and accusing the government of denying a full debate on the crisis. Assam Congress chief and MP Gaurav Gogoi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent intervention to address what he terms a severe administrative and financial breakdown at Tezpur University, and to safeguard the institution’s autonomy and legacy. Student and civil society groups, meanwhile, have organised torchlight rallies and solidarity marches, vowing to continue the blockade until the VC is removed and accountability is ensured.
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