BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 21st August 2025: In a move to restore administrative continuity at Tripura University, the President of India, acting in her role as Visitor has approved the appointment of Prof. Shyamal Das from the Department of English as the Acting Vice-Chancellor. The decision follows the completion of Prof. Ganga Prasad Prasain’s five-year tenure.
An official order issued by the Ministry of Education confirmed that Prof. Das, the senior-most faculty member at the university, will serve in the interim role for up to one year or until a permanent Vice-Chancellor is appointed, whichever comes first. The directive, signed by Rajesh Kumar, Under Secretary to the Government of India, instructed the university’s Registrar to ensure immediate transfer of responsibilities.
The appointment brings resolution to weeks of uncertainty surrounding the university’s leadership. However, it also coincides with emerging controversy over actions taken by the outgoing Vice-Chancellor. Sources indicate that Prof. Prasain approved several recruitment files in the final weeks of his term—an apparent breach of Ministry guidelines that prohibit such decisions within two months of a Vice-Chancellor’s departure.
The Ministry has reiterated its longstanding directive that acting Vice-Chancellors at Central Universities must refrain from making policy decisions, including appointments and recruitments. These rules, originally outlined by the Vigilance Division of the former Ministry of Human Resource Development in August 2015, were reaffirmed in the latest communication to all Central Universities.
Officials emphasized that the restrictions are intended to uphold transparency and prevent last-minute administrative changes during leadership transitions.
With Prof. Das now at the helm, attention turns to stabilizing Tripura University’s academic and administrative operations as the search for a permanent Vice-Chancellor begins.
