The Khasi Students’ Union has accused NLU Meghalaya’s Vice-Chancellor of financial misconduct after an RTI revealed travel expenses exceeding Rs.15 lakh, along with claims of irregular appointments and misuse of funds within the university administration.
Vice-Chancellor of National Law University Meghalaya (NLUM), Prof. Indrajit Dube, is under scrutiny due to allegations of administrative irregularities and financial mismanagement.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request seeking details about financial regulations, budgets, faculty remuneration, and travel expenses incurred by Prof. Dube.
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The RTI also inquired about the appointment process for faculty and administrative members, as well as compliance with the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy at the University. The KSU has accused NLU Meghalaya of lacking transparency and showing favoritism in the hiring of a Deputy Registrar and faculty members.
Earlier this year, NLU Meghalaya refrained from announcing the results of a final interview for the Deputy Registrar position, deviating from the usual process of advertisement and notifications for previous rounds.
Additionally, the role, initially intended to be permanent, was unexpectedly altered to a contractual position after concerns were raised regarding the selection of a non-domiciled candidate, which typically would not adhere to the state’s reservation policy.
According to the KSU, based on the RTI findings, Prof. Dube has spent Rs.15,10,347 on flights, accommodations, meals, and personal trips between 2023 and 2025.
The KSU pointed out specific receipts in the RTI, alleging that,
“Prof. Indrajit Dube spends lavishly on fooding at fancy restaurants, coffee from ‘Starbucks’, etc., and all the bills are to be paid by the State Government.”
The KSU also criticized the expenditure of Rs.3,56,750 on alcoholic beverages for a ‘Climate Investment Coalition for the Global South’ event held by NLUM in Delhi on February 20, 2025.
An office order issued on June 7, 2024, aimed to enhance financial discipline, transparency, and accountability, ensuring that public funds are utilized for legitimate public expenses. This order allows the Vice-Chancellor to approve expenditures ranging from Rs.5,00,000 to Rs.10,00,000, with a maximum of Rs.20,00,000 in emergencies, although it does not specify a timeframe for these expenses.
According to the RTI response, NLUM has received Rs.37.5 crore in grant-in-aid from the Government of Meghalaya, along with Rs.9.02 crore from fees collected from undergraduate, postgraduate, and other sources for the financial years 2022-2024.
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The KSU has also alleged that NLUM is lacking adequate teaching faculty for various subjects and that no efforts have been made to recruit additional faculty. They claim that instead, the Vice-Chancellor has prioritized spending on electronic gadgets, which they argue are not beneficial to the student body.
The KSU recently met with Meghalaya’s Law Minister, Ampareen Lyngdoh, who has pledged to investigate the matter. The students were assured that the findings would be presented to the Governing Council and the Executive Committee.
When asked if the issue has been raised with the University Grants Commission (UGC), KSU Assistant General Secretary Reuben Najiar stated,
“As of now, we are concentrating on state level as the issue can be resolved within the state itself.”?
According to Sources Regarding the KSU’s future actions II no changes occur, Najiar commented,
“That will be the last resort (protesting), we always believe in dialogue and communications. So, we have submitted our complaints to the appropriate authorities, and we’ll see what actions are being taken by them.“
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