Govt stand on Shillong Polytechnic draws flak
SHILLONG: The Opposition on Wednesday questioned the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for the contradicting stand on the ‘upgradation’ of Shillong Polytechnic into an Engineering College. During the Question Hour in Assembly on Wednesday, to a query by the Opposition Leader Donkupar Roy, the Deputy Chief Minister incharge education RC Laloo said that it is not a fact that the Government was planning to upgrade the Shillong Polytechnic into an Engineering College, which, however, had irked the Opposition members.
Roy pointed out that the Chief Minister during the concluding day of the Golden Jubilee celebration of Shillong Polytechnic held at Mawlai on February 11 this year had declared about the upgradation of the Shillong Polytechnic into an Engineering College.
However, the Chief Minister said that his statement regarding the setting up of Engineering college was re-produced as upgradation of Shillong Polytechnic due to different perception. Raising a supplementary question, Embhalang Syiemlieh (UDP), who is the local MLA, said that he was present during the meeting at Mawlai where the Chief Minister had said about the upgradation of Polytechnic into an Engineering College. Earlier, Laloo said that the newspapers may have written something which the Chief Minister had not said.
However, Syiemlieh said that the Home Minister and others were present when the Chief Minister made the declaration. “I was informed by the Education officials that the degree level classes will start from this Academic year in June-July. But I am surprised at the replies. I feel so sad. The government is playing with the lives of students of Polytechnic”, Syiemlieh said. Rs 26 crore for Engineering College
The Deputy Chief Minister Laloo, however, said that the Engineering College will be setup in the campus of Shillong Polytechnic with the support from Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan( RUSA) of the Union HRD ministry. Laloo said that after the Centre provided Rs 26 crore for setting up of the Engineering College, the state government has applied for affiliation from NEHU and after getting its nod, All India Council for Technical Education AICTE will be approached for its approval to start the College. He said that RUSA has approved the project in the meeting held on February 2.