Tripura University Plunges into Crisis: Engineering Service Office Unsealed Amidst Staff Protest, Vice-Chancellor’s Continuation Sparks Controversy
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 18, 2025
Tripura University has been thrust into a fresh wave of controversy after its Engineering Service Office was abruptly locked during office hours on Monday morning, triggering outrage among employees. Staff members arriving for duty were shocked to find the office premises sealed without any official explanation. The employees immediately alerted the Registrar and pressed for the reopening of the main gate, which was eventually unlocked after strong protest.
The incident follows closely on the heels of another unsettling development that rattled the university community. Just two days ago, outgoing Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain suddenly suspended the Executive Engineer, Krishna Das, without citing any reason, further fueling tensions within the staff.
At the heart of the unrest lies a major dispute over the continuation of Prof. Prasain as Vice-Chancellor. His five-year tenure, as per the Tripura University Act, 2006, and Central University rules, officially ended on August 16, 2025. The Act stipulates that no Vice-Chancellor can continue beyond the age of 65 or five years in office
whichever is earlier. Accordingly, Prof. Prasain stood automatically relieved on August 16.
Despite this, a notification from the Registrar’s office, issued on the same day but circulated later, claimed that Prof. Prasain could continue until a successor takes charge. Legal and academic experts, however, argue that the clause being cited is only valid within the prescribed service period and does not override the statutory age or tenure bar.
“This is a clear overstepping of authority. The Vice-Chancellor of a Central University is appointed by the Hon’ble President of India as the Visitor. A Registrar has no power to extend or reappoint a Vice-Chancellor,” remarked a senior professor of the university.
Prof. Prasain’s tenure has already drawn sharp criticism from faculty circles, with allegations of administrative lapses, arbitrary appointments, and denial of legitimate Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) promotions to deserving candidates. As per UGC norms, CAS promotions should be processed within six months of application, but many eligible teachers were reportedly sidelined while irregular promotions and recruitments continued under his watch.
Statute 2(6) of the Tripura University Act provides a clear mechanism in case of a vacancy: the Pro-Vice-Chancellor is to assume charge, and in the absence of one, the senior-most professor of the university should act as Vice-Chancellor until the Ministry of Education appoints a new head.
The ongoing disputes ranging from the sealed Engineering Service Office to the controversy over the Vice-Chancellor’s continuation have plunged Tripura University into a fresh administrative crisis. The academic community is now demanding urgent intervention by the Ministry of Education and the Hon’ble Governor of Tripura, who is the Chief Rector of the university.
Observers warn that if such statutory violations are allowed to continue unchecked, they could set a dangerous precedent for Central Universities across India.
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