The North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) has been plunged into uncertainty following the reported resignation of its Director, Prof Narendranath S, amid an ongoing controversy over alleged administrative irregularities and recruitment-related issues at the institute.
Sources said Prof Narendranath submitted his resignation on Saturday, a day after NERIST Registrar Mai Kuru Camder and Assistant Registrar Boge Kamduk were suspended in connection with allegations of irregularities and manipulation of recruitment rules governing non-teaching staff appointments. The suspensions were reportedly ordered following recommendations emerging from an inquiry initiated by the Ministry of Education.
The resignation has added a new dimension to the crisis that has been brewing at the premier technical institute for several months. While the exact reasons behind Prof Narendranath’s decision remain unclear, there are reports that he was facing significant pressure from various student groups. Efforts to obtain his response on the development were unsuccessful.
The roots of the controversy can be traced to December 2025, when the Department of Higher and Technical Education constituted a one-member inquiry committee headed by NIT Agartala Director Prof Sarat Kumar Patra. The committee was tasked with examining academic and administrative issues that had led to a student agitation and shutdown of the institute in November last year.
Apart from investigating the circumstances behind the student protest, the committee was directed to review procedural propriety in administrative decisions, transfer orders, recruitment advertisements, recruitment rules and other institutional matters. The Ministry of Education had instructed the committee to submit its findings within two months.
Sources within NERIST indicated that the recent suspension orders were issued after the ministry directed the institute to act on the inquiry committee’s recommendations.
The controversy centres largely on allegations regarding modifications to the Recruitment Rules (RRs) of 2022. A representation submitted by the NERIST Employees’ Association alleged that the recruitment rules uploaded on the institute’s website differed from those officially communicated by the Government of India. The association also claimed that the designation of Registrar Mai Kuru Camder had been altered from Deputy Registrar to Joint Registrar before his appointment as Registrar.
Further debate has emerged over a resolution adopted during a meeting on May 12 this year involving NERIST authorities and representatives of student organisations. According to the meeting minutes, participants agreed that findings of the inquiry committee should not be entertained if they went beyond the committee’s terms of reference or adversely affected any employee of the institute.
The resolution has raised questions among sections of the institute community regarding administrative procedures and institutional autonomy.
Meanwhile, the NERIST Research Scholars’ Association has expressed concern over recent developments. In a statement issued on Sunday, the association condemned any attempt to influence the functioning of an academic institution through intimidation or coercion.
The association urged all stakeholders to maintain peace on campus and protect the institution’s academic environment. It also stressed the importance of appointing stable and permanent leadership, stating that temporary arrangements may not be sufficient to address the institute’s long-term administrative and academic needs.
The current crisis follows a major student agitation that began on November 28, 2025, when the Students’ Union of NERIST announced an indefinite shutdown of academic and campus activities. The union had raised allegations against Assistant Registrar Boge Kamduk regarding recruitment practices and appointments, while also highlighting concerns over infrastructure delays, administrative inefficiency and unresolved student grievances.
