Shillong: Eminent biochemist A.N. Rai Monday took charge as vice chancellor of the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) here amid protests from various students' organizations, which set a day's deadline for his resignation.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who also informed the central government on the ongoing imbroglio in the university over the Rai's appointment as vice chancellor, said the issue should have been handled properly.

"A central team should have visited the state to sort out the imbroglio before appointing a new vice chancellor," Sangma told reporters.

Rai, a former vice chancellor of Mizoram University, was appointed by President Pratibha Patil after Pramod Tandon completed his tenure on September 12.

"We will not accept Rai as our vice chancellor for his tainted credentials in Mizoram University. We have given him a day's time to quit as vice chancellor," Kynpham Kharlyngdoh, chairman of the Coordination Committee, told the sources.

The Coordination Committee comprises Meghalaya Post Graduate Students' Union, the Khasi Students' Union, NEHU unit and the A'chik Post Graduate Students' Union.

Rai has been accused by the Mizoram Students' Union (MSU) of violating a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and misinterpreting the eligibility criteria of the University Grant Commission (UGC) for the appointment of lecturers.

The Mizoram University had signed a MoU with the MSU on September 15, 2009 that six qualified local candidates would be called for interview for recruitment in various vacant posts. However, Rai appointed non-local lecturers to the post, thus violating the MoU.

"If Rai continues his office, we have no other option but to agitate to force him to quit the post," Kharlyngdoh said.

However, Rai termed the protest as an "attempt by few people to remove me" from the post. "People would soon realize. The allegations against me are not true. I hope they will know me more through my work," he told the sources.

Asked if he would bow down to the students' protest, Rai said, "I have been appointed by the president. Therefore, I am still honoring this appointment."

Rubbishing the allegations, he said, "If anyone wants to know the truth, they should visit the university (Mizoram) and find out the facts rather being content with the rumors against me."

Meanwhile, the Deans' Committee has appealed to the students to maintain peace and academic atmosphere in the campus.

The committee, which met at the office chamber of the vice chancellor, also extended their support to Rai to ensure the development of the university.

Earlier, two powerful organizations - Khasi Students' Union (KSU) and Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP)- in Meghalaya urged President Pratibha Patil to revoke the appointment order of Rai and instead demanded that a tribal vice chancellor should be appointed to the post. IANS