The Students’ Union of NERIST (SUN) has withdrawn its indefinite hunger strike after receiving assurances that the resignation of NERIST Director Prof Narendranath S would not be accepted and steps would be taken for his continuation in office. The hunger strike, which began on Monday, was launched in protest against the alleged forced resignation of the director of the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), one of Arunachal Pradesh’s premier technical institutions. The issue has triggered significant unrest within the institute, with students demanding intervention from the authorities and seeking clarity over the circumstances that led to the director’s resignation.
Speaking to reporters, SUN president Tadar Demo said the student body decided to call off the strike after receiving a positive response regarding its demands. “We have been told that the resignation will be withdrawn and will not be accepted by the Education Ministry. After getting this assurance, we have decided not to continue the hunger strike,” Demo said. The students had earlier warned of stronger agitation if their concerns were not addressed. In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the NERIST Board of Management (BoM) on June 8, the union stated that it had been compelled to launch the indefinite hunger strike as it had received no response from the Ministry of Education, the BoM chairman or the state government regarding a representation submitted on June 3. The student union has been demanding that the Ministry of Education reject Prof Narendranath’s resignation and allow him to complete his full five-year tenure as director of the institute.
Another key demand raised by the students is the release of CCTV footage recorded on May 29 from the director’s chamber. The footage is reportedly linked to the incident that allegedly led to the resignation of the director. According to allegations made by students and sections of the institute community, Prof Narendranath was forced to resign after a group of individuals allegedly entered his office and pressured him. However, no official confirmation regarding the circumstances surrounding the resignation has been issued so far. The controversy emerged shortly after NERIST authorities issued suspension orders against Registrar Mai Kuru Camder and Assistant Registrar Boge Kamduk on May 29. The suspensions were linked to allegations of irregularities and manipulation in the Recruitment Rules 2022 concerning non-teaching staff appointments at the institute.
