MPCC president Keisham Meghachandra questions the appointment of Daljit Singh Chaudhary as NSU Vice-Chancellor, alleging violation of academic norms.
Imphal, May 17: Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and Wangkhem MLA Keisham Meghachandra Singh has raised strong objections to the appointment of Daljit Singh Chaudhary as the Vice-Chancellor of the National Sports University (NSU), Manipur, alleging that the selection undermines academic norms, recruitment rules and institutional integrity.
In a detailed public statement shared on May 15 through his official social media account, Meghachandra described the appointment as “deeply shocking and disappointing” for academicians, researchers and students associated with the higher education sector.
The Congress leader questioned whether statutory recruitment procedures and academic eligibility norms had been bypassed for what he termed a politically motivated appointment under the BJP-led government.
“The fundamental question is simple: Can the RSS-BJP government bulldoze Recruitment Rules and academic norms merely to accommodate politically convenient appointments?” Meghachandra wrote.
The controversy centres around the appointment of Daljit Singh Chaudhary, a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1990 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, as the Vice-Chancellor of the National Sports University located in Imphal West district.
According to Meghachandra, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had initiated a formal selection process through an official advertisement issued in December 2024. He claimed that eminent academicians and professionals from across the country had applied for the post and undergone a lengthy evaluation procedure.
The MPCC president stated that shortlisted candidates reportedly appeared before a Search-cum-Selection Committee in New Delhi on May 31, 2025 at the National Dope Testing Laboratory, JLN Stadium Complex.
He further alleged that the recruitment advertisement prescribed clear academic qualifications for the post, including an “outstanding academic record” and a minimum of ten years’ experience as a professor or in an equivalent academic administrative position.
Meghachandra questioned whether the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor fulfilled those criteria.
“However, the appointment of a person whose name reportedly did not appear in the shortlist and whose qualifications do not appear to satisfy the prescribed academic criteria has raised extremely serious concerns regarding transparency, legality and adherence to Recruitment Rules,” he stated.
At the same time, the Congress leader acknowledged Chaudhary’s service record in policing and national security institutions.
Daljit Singh Chaudhary previously served in several senior positions including Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and held leadership responsibilities in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Uttar Pradesh Police.
Meghachandra said those contributions to public service and national security deserved respect, but argued that administrative experience alone should not replace academic eligibility requirements in a central university appointment.
“Respect for administrative service cannot override statutory eligibility conditions meant for an academic office,” he wrote.
The Congress leader also argued that the office of Vice-Chancellor is fundamentally an academic leadership position requiring scholarly credentials, teaching and research experience, understanding of university governance and long-term engagement with higher education systems.
He warned that appointing individuals without conventional academic backgrounds to such posts could weaken institutional autonomy and undermine confidence among scholars and students.
“Universities cannot be converted into rehabilitation centres for retired bureaucrats and police officers at the cost of deserving academicians,” Meghachandra stated.
The statement further claimed that the appointment could create a precedent where political considerations override institutional standards in nationally important educational institutions.
According to Meghachandra, such developments risk damaging the academic character of universities and discouraging young scholars who dedicate years to research, teaching and professional academic advancement.
The National Sports University was established in Manipur as a specialised central university focused on sports education, physical education, sports science and related research fields. The institution was announced as part of the Union government’s effort to develop a premier sports education hub in the Northeast.
Meghachandra argued that because of the university’s national importance and specialised academic role, the process of selecting its leadership must remain transparent and strictly merit-based.
The statement comes at a time when appointments to universities and higher educational institutions across India have increasingly become subjects of political debate, with opposition parties and academic groups frequently raising concerns regarding institutional autonomy and alleged political interference.
So far, neither the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports nor the National Sports University authorities have publicly responded to the allegations raised by the MPCC president.
There has also been no official clarification regarding the selection process, shortlisted candidates or the eligibility criteria applied during the final appointment.
The issue is likely to generate wider discussion within academic and political circles in Manipur, particularly because the National Sports University is considered one of the flagship higher education institutions in the state.
