Air on CUET cleared

SHILLONG, May 21: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said he has been briefed by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma that a system is being worked out for state-affiliated colleges with regard to the Central Universities Entrance Test (CUET).
“The chief minister has told me they are arranging something for state-affiliated colleges. As long as the state government desires, the colleges will continue to be affiliated to the NEHU but not be part of the CUET,” said Pradhan.
He said CUET has been designed for central university admission and a crisis arose when some states adopted the central university status for their own universities.
“But this (NEHU) is a very old institution and as the same as Meghalaya, which came into existing 50 years ago,” he added.
On the woes of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers due to delays in their salary, Pradhan said: “The minister of education raised this issue with me and we will find a way out.”
Sangma had on Friday said the delay in the salary of the SSA teachers is an ongoing issue and the state government would want the budget to be granted and released on time to address it.
Stating that there are concerns when it comes to the salary of the SSA, he underlined the two main issues – the central government does not give the amount sought by the state and there is always a delay in releasing the money.