Manipur University teachers, students and staff on Friday warmly received the new vice-chancellor of the university, Jarnail Singh, who joined as an administrator on Friday.

Singh was the former chief secretary of Manipur who also served the Prime Minister’s Office as joint secretary.

A division bench of Manipur High Court on Thursday appointed Singh as administrator. This empowers him to discharge the functions of the vice-chancellor as provided under the Manipur University Act, 2005, and other relevant statutes.

“I have just taken charge. I will have a meeting with deans and head of departments on Friday and Saturday to discuss academic and other issues. Then I can speak over the issues. Normalcy will return in the university,” Singh said.

Before taking charge of the vice-chancellor’s office, he was received by members of the university community at the court hall who expressed hope that normality will return.

The university community expressed that they will extend cooperation to the new administrator.

Professor Amar Yumnam said, “It is an informal warm welcome for our administrator. We feel quite relieved after struggling for almost four months.”

Singh told the university community, “I am quite overwhelmed by your warm welcome. I am very happy. I am sure I will be able to live up to your expectations. I hope I will be able to help you and the university. I expect to meet all of you one by one in your departments. I will be happy and always welcome anybody who wants to meet me and share their issues and problems. I assure you that I will give it my best shot.”

The Manipur PCC, during a news conference, claimed that the intervention of the judiciary in the university crisis for a solution is because of the failure of the executive and legislature.

Former vice-chancellor of Manipur University and Congress executive member Ng. Bijoy said the judiciary had to intervene because both the state and central government failed.

Manipr PCC spokesperson and MLA K. Ranjit said the state government and the Union HRD minister could not solve the university crisis that went on for more than 130 days. The PCC demanded the resignation of the Union HRD minister.

It also demanded the release of the arrested university teachers and the students as the pro vice-chancellor K.Yugindro appointed by professor Adya Prasad Pandey (suspended vice-chancellor) had admitted that “the charges he had made against them were false”.

Veteran politician O. Joy said, “I feel that this university has been liberated.”

The Manipur unit of Shiv Sena expressed contentment on Singh’s appointment as Manipur University administrator.