Tezpur, Assam, Dec 15: Students and staff of Tezpur University held a nine-hour hunger strike on Monday, demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh over alleged financial irregularities and urging the Ministry of Education (MoE) to take immediate action on long-standing grievances.

The protest was organized by the Tezpur University United Forum (TUUF), a coalition of students, teachers, and non-teaching staff, and began at 9 a.m. TUUF criticized the MoE’s inaction despite repeated appeals and informal assurances. The university has been largely shut since late November, with limited openings only for term-end examinations.

During a December 6 visit, a high-level MoE delegation led by Secretary Vineet Joshi was briefly confined on campus after students blocked the gates. They were released following a note from Joint Secretary Saumya Gupta, assuring that Singh would not perform his duties pending an inquiry.

Protesters called for Singh’s removal, a high-level probe into alleged financial misconduct and deforestation under his tenure, and his placement on administrative leave. They warned of further escalation if the MoE did not restore normalcy.

Tensions at the university began in mid-September, following accusations that Singh disrespected cultural icon Zubeen Garg during statewide mourning. Senior faculty member Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya assumed acting VC duties on December 5 under the Tezpur University Act, 1993, allowing examinations to proceed. Singh has avoided campus since a September 22 confrontation and recently did not appoint a pro-VC after a virtual Board of Management meeting.