Claiming that not a single Assamese book has been purchased in the past two financial years
KRC TIMES Assam Bureau
Tezpur: The Tezpur University Teachers’ Association (TUTA) has accused the university administration of financial irregularities in book procurement and alleged a deliberate neglect of the Assamese language, claiming that not a single Assamese book has been purchased in the past two financial years.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, TUTA said Vice Chancellor Prof. Sambhu Nath Singh approved book purchases only from a select group of Delhi-based publishers, bypassing empanelled vendors and compromising transparency in the procurement process. The association has demanded an independent inquiry into what it described as a “misuse of public funds” under the University Grants Commission’s grant-in-aid scheme.
According to TUTA, the university received ₹6.5 crore under the UGC grant-in-aid for capital assets in 2024–25, with Rs.5.72 crore earmarked for books and journals. Of that amount, Rs.4.56 crore was reportedly spent, yet no Assamese books were procured, despite a sanctioned budget of Rs.2.91 lakh for 146 titles under the Department of Assamese. The same pattern allegedly continued in the 2025–26 financial year.
The teachers’ body said this exclusion of Assamese literature “goes against the academic and cultural spirit” of a central university situated in Assam. It claimed that the list of procured titles was largely determined by the inventory of a few favored vendors, hinting at “favouritism, conflict of interest, and potential financial irregularities.”
The procurement dispute has further strained relations on campus, already tense since September, when students and staff accused the Vice Chancellor of disrespecting cultural icon Zubeen Garg during the state’s mourning period. That controversy prompted a magisterial inquiry and a fact-finding visit ordered by the Assam Governor.
TUTA has urged the Ministry of Education and the UGC to intervene and ensure accountability in the university’s financial and administrative operations. The Tezpur University administration has yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
