Students at Assam’s Tezpur University have escalated their protest into an indefinite shutdown, demanding the immediate removal of Vice Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh amid serious corruption allegations and administrative paralysis.

The central university, established by an Act of Parliament, has been non-functional since November 29, with all academic activities halted and end-term examinations cancelled.

The agitation, ongoing since mid-September, intensified after Singh absconded from campus following a confrontation with students, remaining absent for over 74 days. The Tezpur University Teachers’ Association and Non-Teaching Employees’ Association have joined the students, highlighting the deepening crisis that has left university operations at a standstill.

Calls for transparency have grown louder following a magisterial probe and fact-finding committees set up by the Assam Governor and the Union Ministry of Education to investigate allegations of corruption and disrespect toward cultural icon Zubeen Garg. Despite these inquiries, no report has been published, fueling frustration among the university community.

Rajya Sabha member Ajit Kumar Bhuyan criticized the administration’s inaction and stressed the urgent need for government intervention to restore normalcy. Faculty resignations—including senior officials such as the finance officer and registrar—underscore the institutional breakdown.

With students, faculty, and staff united in their demands, the shutdown marks an unprecedented disruption in Tezpur University’s history, reflecting a critical turning point in Assam’s educational landscape.