GUWAHATI: A galaxy of Vice Chancellors of north-eastern universities, stakeholders, Directors and representatives of educational institutions from the north-eastern region gathered together at the University of Science & Technology Meghalaya today to participate in a brainstorming session on the National Education Policy-2019 and discussed about the massive change and restructuring of the existing education system. The programme was organized by USTM in association with the Center for South East Asian Studies, Gauhati University and Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh.
Presiding over the brainstorming meet, Prof Mihir Kanti Chaudhuri, Adviser (Education), Government of Assam said that one of the important points agreed by all the participants in the meeting was that the new National Education Policy needs to have a perspective of the North Eastern region India. It was agreed that study of agriculture needs to be addressed properly in the Policy and the North East should have at least one Indian Institute of Liberal Arts (IILA). It was also agreed by all that the policy needs to put more emphasis on minorities and female education. The participants also appreciated and discussed about the various positive and innovative points of the Education Policy.
Mahbubul Hoque, Chairman of USTM stated, “As the Ministry of HRD, Govt of India wants to introduce the new National Education Policy that may act as a game changer for a new India, we find it extremely significant for the educational leaders and academic fraternity of North East India, along with the whole country, to sit together and have a thorough discussion on the new Education Policy so that necessary suggestions can be put forward to the concerned authority in time”. The views, opinions and suggestions put forward by the distinguished speakers would be summarized and the minutes of the session will be sent to MHRD before 30th June 2019 as desired by the Government, he added.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Mridul Hazarika, Vice Chancellor, Gauhati University said, “The most important part of the National Education Policy-2019 is that it is extremely comprehensive and well thought out. The school education part is well documented as schools are the feeder institutions for higher education. But how are we prepared for the constraints in the implementation process is not clearly mentioned in the Policy.” For instance, many remote colleges in the North East are not adequately prepared to function as autonomous institutions, he added.
Apart from stakeholders, other distinguished participants in the brainstorming session include: Prof Saket Kushwaha Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh; Prof Vijaykumar L Dharurkar, VC, Tripura University, Dr Dhiraj Bora, VC, Assam Science and Technology University; Prof R.C Nayak, Pro-VC, Nagaland University; Prof G Singaiah, Pro-VC, North East Hill University; Dr RR Haque, Tezpur University; Dr N.B Singh & Dr U.K Behera, Deans, Central Agricultural University; Prof Vincent Darlong, VC, Martin Luther Christian University; Dr Maribon Viray & Dr Fabian Lyngdoh, MLCU; Dr S. C. Singh, Adjunct Professor of Law, National Law University and Judicial Academy; Dr S Tamilvanan, Associate Prof, NIPER, Guwahati, Prof Alaka Sarma, Director (Hony), International Centre for Gandhian Studies, USTM.