Shillong: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has alleged widespread financial mismanagement and irregular appointments at the National Law University Meghalaya (NLUM), demanding immediate action against Vice Chancellor Prof. Indrajit Dube.
The allegations, based on documents obtained through RTI queries, were submitted to Meghalaya Law Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who has assured an investigation and sought two months to present the findings to the university’s Governing Council and Executive Committee, which includes sitting High Court judges.
KSU representatives met Minister Lyngdoh on Friday to raise concerns over what they described as misuse of state funds, arbitrary appointments, and violation of reservation norms. According to KSU General Secretary Donald V. Thabah, Prof. Dube allegedly spent over ₹15.10 lakh on travel — including airfare, accommodation, and meals — most of which appear to serve no clear official purpose.
“In our RTI findings, we discovered that the Vice Chancellor has made multiple trips outside the state using government funds. While some are marked official, several are vague, with no stated purpose. If these were personal, using public money is unacceptable,” Thabah said. “He’s living a lavish lifestyle, frequenting Starbucks and staying in expensive hotels.”
KSU also flagged expenses incurred during the “Climate Investment Coalition for the Global South” event hosted by NLUM in New Delhi on February 20, 2025. While the total event budget was estimated at ₹25 lakh, the Union raised objections to ₹3.56 lakh allegedly spent on alcoholic beverages.
“We do not oppose educational events,” Thabah said. “But we strongly condemn the use of public funds to purchase alcohol. Such wasteful expenditure should not be reimbursed by the government.”
The Union further alleged that Prof. Dube unilaterally drafted the university’s First Statutes in 2023, granting himself unchecked powers to appoint faculty and staff without formal selection procedures. As per KSU, six individuals — including three Professors of Practice, one Associate Professor in Residence, and two Professors in Residence — were appointed without merit-based evaluation.
“Though these faculty members are expected to deliver at least 20 hours of lectures per month, only two have taken classes — and even they fell short of the requirement,” Thabah said, adding that the group has collectively drawn ₹46.83 lakh in salaries and ₹8.26 lakh in expenses with minimal academic contribution.
KSU also highlighted a violation of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy in the appointment of Gurpreet Singh to the post of Deputy Registrar. The Union alleges that Singh was appointed over qualified tribal candidates and that no results were published following the interview conducted on August 30, 2024. The permanent post was allegedly converted into a tenure position without due process. Although Singh has since resigned and the General Council passed a resolution on February 26, 2025, directing fresh advertisements, none have been issued.
The Union further claimed that faculty recruitment at NLUM has lacked transparency. Despite advertisements for academic posts in 2022–2023, no results were ever released. Nevertheless, several appointments — both permanent and contractual — were made.
“Most of these appointments are products of nepotism,” Thabah alleged. “They were either made directly by the VC or influenced by senior state officials. Many appointees do not meet UGC-mandated qualifications, while more deserving candidates were overlooked.”
As an example, KSU cited the appointment of Dr. Ankita Chakraborty as Assistant Professor. Dr. Chakraborty, who allegedly does not hold a PhD, is said to have been a research scholar under the supervision of Prof. Dube’s wife, Dr. Dipa Dube, at IIT Kharagpur.
“Several faculty members have links to IIT Kharagpur, belong to the same region, or enjoy political and bureaucratic support,” Thabah added. “Despite a Governing Council resolution calling for fresh advertisements in line with the Reservation Policy, the Vice Chancellor has failed to act, fearing the loss of his close-knit team.”
Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh has assured the Union that the matter will be investigated within two months and all complaints will be examined by the university’s executive bodies.
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