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The Centre on Wednesday, May 20, initiated the process for appointing a new vice-chancellor at North-Eastern Hill University in Shillong, amid continuing uncertainty and prolonged protests over the functioning of the institution.

The Ministry of Education invited online applications from eligible candidates for the post, with the application process set to continue till June 18, according to an official notification.

The notification stated that the vice-chancellor, being the academic and administrative head of the university, should possess “the highest level of competence, integrity, morals and institutional commitment”.

Eligible candidates must be distinguished academicians with at least 10 years of experience as a professor in a university or have equivalent experience in a reputed research or academic administrative organisation, along with evidence of academic leadership, it added.

The selected candidate will receive a fixed monthly salary of Rs 2.10 lakh, a special allowance of Rs 11,250 and other admissible benefits.

According to the notification, the appointment will be made from a panel of names recommended by a committee constituted under the Act governing the university.

The development comes amid months of unrest and protests on the NEHU campus.

Vice-Chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla has largely remained away from the campus since proceeding on leave in November 2024 following protests by students’ and teachers’ organisations demanding his removal over alleged administrative and governance issues.

Several organisations had staged demonstrations and sought the Centre’s intervention over the functioning of the university administration.