SHILLONG: North East Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) on Tuesday welcomed Union HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani to the University with placards and demanded immediate fulfillment of their long pending demands.
NEHU students gathered on the varsity premises with bouquet and placards demanding restoration of Hill Area Special Allowance and AICTE approval for School of Technology, besides others.
A delegation of NEHUSU also met the Union minister.
Later, while addressing the 23rd Convocation of NEHU, the minister said that the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) will give the approval to the School of Technology within one week, drawing loud clapping and cheers from the students.
“I believe the School of Technology has been battling for the AICTE approval for the past one decade,” she added, while pointing out that students should not be blamed for the fault of design in construction of rooms 10 years ago which had delayed the AICTE approval.
On the demand for a coaching centre, the Union minister said NEHU will start a centre to provide coaching for SC/ST, minority and female students.”
According to her, the coaching centre will ensure the entry of students into services. The centre can also provide coaching for NET exams besides which will improve and strengthen their knowledge, academic skills, linguistic proficiency and other subjects, she added. Other grievances of the students as highlighted in a NEHUSU memorandum submitted to Irani, included the need to set up CSIR NET Centre and ASEAN Studies Centre at NEHU, release of post matric scholarships, undue delay in declaration of results and admission of students coming from educationally backward areas, besides others.
The students also urged the minister to increase funds from UGC to the University.
They also sought the intervention of the Centre in provide better buses for conveyance of the students as 21 buses currently in use are not in the best of conditions.
The memorandum further sought improvement in the infrastructure facilities in the University.
Limited internet facilities, insufficient hostels, outdated library, unavailability of regular officials like the Registrar, and the transport officer were among the other grievances highlighted by the students.
“The culture of many-posts-one-person is prevalent in the University, where even teachers who are appointed to teach the students and not run the administration also have been enjoying these opportunities,” the students said.
The memorandum also highlighted lack of proper sports facilities like cricket ground, swimming pools and other extracurricular facilities that contribute to the student’s overall development. NEHUSU also set a deadline of five months for redressal of their grievances “to avoid any unwanted activities in the University”.
