Tezpur University has been shut down for seven days due to student and staff protests demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh. Early on Friday, December 5, 2025, the university's senior-most faculty member, Professor Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharya, took charge as acting vice-chancellor in a suo-motu move under the Tezpur University Act, 1993. The protests began in mid-September and intensified after a Board of Management meeting on December 4, when Professor Joya Chakraborty was appointed pro-vice-chancellor, a role she refused. The Tezpur University United Forum (TUUF), leading the agitation, continues the indefinite shutdown which started on November 29. The protesters accuse VC Singh of corruption and absenteeism, noting he has not been on campus for almost three months. At least 11 faculty and officials have resigned since the protests started. University services, including academic activities, are halted, forcing cancellation of end-term exams. Faculty members said, "We were waiting for something positive from the ministry during the protest period, but it remained a mute spectator. In fact, the authorities got involved in an ugly game in collusion with VC Singh and appointed a pro-VC yesterday." Students demand a formal enquiry into alleged corruption and irregularities by Singh to restore university integrity. The shutdown has caused the postponement of exams, marking the first time academic schedules changed due to a student-led protest. The unrest also stems from alleged disrespect toward cultural icon Zubeen Garg during state mourning, leading to a magisterial probe and a fact-finding committee visit. Environmental concerns are also part of the protest, with staff opposing Singh’s actions like felling important trees and bamboo patches for so-called 'beautification,' seen as harmful to the campus ecosystem in northeast India’s tropical climate. The university community, including the Teachers' Association and Non-Teaching Employees’ Association, fully supports the shutdown until their demands are met.