GUWAHATI, JULY 27: Assam governor and Dibrugarh University chancellor Jagdish Mukhi has appointed registrar Prof Jiten Hazarika as the new vice-chancellor of Dibrugarh University. He will take over charge from present vice chancellor in-charge Prof Lila Kanta Nath. Prof Hazarika has been invited to take oath as V-C at Raj Bhavan on August 4 in presence of the chancellor of the university and governor Prof Jagdish Mukhi.
It may be mentioned that Prof Jiten Hazarika was earlier appointed as the V-C in-charge of Dibrugarh university by an order by the governor on January 29, 2021. He was suppose to take over charge on January 31, 2021 from Prof Lila Kanta Nath as he was scheduled to retire that day. However for reason unknown Prof Nath’s tenure was extended and he continued to serve as the vice-chancellor in-charge while Prof Jiten Hazarika continued in his previous post as the registrar of the university.
Significantly Dibrugarh University has been functioning without a full fledged vice chancellor since February 11, 2021 after the then vice chancellor Ranjit Tamuli was suspended on charge of financial irregularities and misuse of power. A fact-finding committee had indicted Tamuli of financial irregularities, corruption and misuse of power while serving as the university V-C. Tamuli was finally sacked by the governor on November 22, 2021.
The fact-finding committee, which investigated the corruption charges against Tamuli in its report, had mentioned that the personal expenses incurred by the V-C were without proper procedure and he had the “habit of incurring personal expenses during his tenure without following norms and regulations”.
The report also mentioned that in matters of development, especially in terms of infrastructure creation, Tamuli had flouted rules, and in many cases he used to forcefully or in league with few of his personnel office staff incur expenses and make payment to vendors. The forensic report forwarded by the fact-finding committee also revealed that prima facie there was a case of tampering against the vice-chancellor.
On February 11, 2021 Prof RNS Yadav was appointed as the vice-chancellor in-charge. Yadav retired on February 28 last year, following which Prof LK Nath was appointed as the V-C in-charge.