To

Honourable Minister for Human Resources Development

Govt of India

New Delhi.

Sub : Concern regarding the state of affairs at National Institute of Technology, Silchar (NITS), Assam.

Sir,

We, the ex-students of NITS, previously designated as Regional Engineering College (REC) Silchar, are quite concerned regarding the vitiation of academic atmosphere at NIT Silchar. We are worried that the institution of NIT's status is being degraded by mismanagement in day to day affairs. The alumni had been to the Institute campus for the first ever Alumni Meet organized from 31 Oct 2010 to 02 Nov 2010, and have a first hand knowledge about the happenings on the campus. Some of these are quite shocking.

Firstly, the institution does not have a Director since the last 4 years. Prof PK Bose, the Director of NIT at Agartala, is also holding the additional charge of Director of NITS, along with two other NITs of NE India, namely NIT Kohima and NIT Imphal. He operates from Agartala and visits Silchar once in about 3-4 months. Can an NIT function with such ad-hoc arrangement and that too for the past 4 years? Hence, various policy decisions remain pending. He cannot cope with the mountain of files in one day visit. Under such circumstances we request your honour to pay urgent attention to the burning problems of NIT SILCHAR and post a permanent Director immediately as a first step towards restoration of normalcy in our Alma Mater.

Secondly, NITS, being a Deemed University and an Autonomous Body, we are sure that large amount of funds must be allotted to the Institution in the form of various grants, fund allotments, aid etc. But, there is no accountability and seeing the conditions on the campus (filthy living conditions, unhygienic kitchens, deplorable toilets and filth all around the campus), it seems quite evident that either the funds are not being utilized properly, or they are being misused/siphoned off. We urge you to kindly order a financial audit of the Institution, through the CAG, to set things right. It is also pertinent to mention here that the information of arrival of the Director, from Agartala, is not known to the faculty at Silchar till the last moment, but the various commercial organizations associated with supplies and placements are already present, indicating to the faculty that the Director is arriving shortly.

Thirdly, the students do not have an elected Students Union. The Students Gymkhana, which exists on the campus, is nominated by the College Authorities, and hence are the stooges of the Administration. We urge you to direct the Institution to constitute a democratically elected Student Union for better functioning.

Fourthly, the evaluation and examination system is ad-hoc, and needs immediate re-look. The current system is ad-hoc, anarchic and autocratic, and gives total control at the hands of the Prof/Lecturer. This is an extremely dangerous situation. Recently, on 03 Jan 2011, a girl student of 3^rd semester, committed suicide as she had failed in 4 papers in the semester exam. It is difficult to digest that a student, who has gained entrance into an NIT, after qualifying in a nationwide AIEEE competition, can fail in 4 subjects of one semester!

Sir, we humbly request you to take stock of the situation at NIT Silchar, and order reforms immediately. Your personal indulgence will go a long way is restoring the faith of the students, and will prevent this esteemed Institution from decaying irreparably.

With profound thanks

Yours' faithfully

Ex students of NIT/REC Silchar

(Some Photographs will be posted later on)

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