Aizawl: A storm is brewing over the recruitment of a Finance Officer (FO) at Mizoram University, with allegations of statutory violations, procedural lapses, and possible favoritism threatening transparency at the NAAC-accredited A+ institution.
The controversy has prompted letters and formal representations to both the Ministry of Education and the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Dibakar Chandra Deka.
Dibakar Chandra Deka has been serving as the Vice-Chancellor of Mizoram University since May 1, 2023. Prior to this, he was the Founder Vice-Chancellor of Madhabdev University, Narayanpur, Assam, from June 14, 2019, to April 30, 2023. He is the 5th Vice-Chancellor of Mizoram University.
According to MUNTSA’s letter to the Vice Chancellor, accessed by EastMojo, the recruitment process bypassed the statutory role of the Registrar, in direct violation of Mizoram University Statutes 4(7), 4(8)(b), and 4(8)(d).
These provisions define the Registrar’s duties as ex officio Secretary of the Executive Council, Academic Council, and College Development Council, including issuing meeting notices, handling official correspondence, and managing administrative communication.
Key responsibilities in the recruitment process, from issuing EC meeting notices and circulating agendas to coordinating interviews, were handled by Prof. Elangbam Nixon Singh, Member Secretary of the Screening Committee, instead of the Registrar, said the letter.
Concerns about conflict of interest have also surfaced. Prof. Nixon Singh reportedly has longstanding professional connections with one of the candidates, and his Ph.D. supervisor, Prof. G.P. Prasain, Vice Chancellor of Tripura University, was appointed as a subject expert in the Selection Committee.
MUNTSA notes that Prof. Prasain has faced past allegations of nepotism, including the controversial appointment of his son to positions at Tripura University.
Given these connections, Prof. Nixon Singh should have recused himself to ensure transparency and fairness, instead, he actively performed all responsibilities assigned verbally by the Vice Chancellor, without any formal written authorization, stated the letter.
Procedural lapses have been flagged at multiple stages. A Special Executive Council (EC) meeting on September 10, 2025, was convened before the mandatory 15-day notification period required by the Ministry of Education, raising questions about compliance.
Internal candidates’ objections during the 68th EC meeting on July 14, 2025, were reportedly ignored, and minutes documenting concerns were omitted from submissions sent to the Ministry.
MUNTSA also highlighted irregularities in the delegation of statutory responsibilities. Prof. Nixon Singh, initially appointed as Member Secretary of the Screening Committee, was verbally assigned additional duties for the Selection Committee despite no formal written order, contravening Statute 18(2)(C), which does not provide for such a position.
During the process, he allegedly sought confidential details about subject experts’ accommodations and their drivers, further raising questions about propriety.
Additional lapses include the Vice Chancellor allegedly overriding statutory obligations while claiming all actions were taken in good faith, contradicting MZU Statute 2(3), which mandates strict adherence to Acts, Statutes, Ordinances, and Regulations. Registrar duties were delegated without written approval, Executive Council meetings were convened prematurely, and Ministry directives were disregarded.
MUNTSA has formally requested that the entire Selection Committee process be canceled and the Finance Officer post be re-advertised to ensure fairness and compliance. Their letters warn that continued oversight failures could erode public trust and compromise governance at Mizoram University.
The Vice Chancellor of Mizoram University has been contacted for comment, and this article will be updated once a response is received.
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