Guwahati, May 31: Authorities of Assam Engineering College (AEC) have issued a new set of rules for hostel boarders in the wake of seven students of the institution losing their lives in a tragic mishap in the Jalukbari area here in the wee hours on Monday.
According to the new rules, the police administration have been authorised to pick up any boarder of hostels found outside the campus beyond the permissible time and without permission for valid grounds.
Besides, regular checking would be conducted on the AEC hostel premises to prevent the entry of unauthorised persons and contraband items by surveillance teams that will be formed by the college authorities.
According to the new guidelines, consumption of alcohol/drugs inside the AEC hostels/campus is prohibited and any student found involved in such activities would be subjected to expulsion from the hostel/college. Besides, the college authorities would hand over such students to the police and the same would be reflected in their pass certificates.
On the other hand, parking of motorbikes or vehicles on the AEC hostel/college campus by boarders of the hostels for regular use by any student of the college has been prohibited.
Moreover, the college authorities along with the support of the police administration would ensure that the sale of alcohol/drugs in and around the AEC campus is prohibited.
Strict guidelines have also been laid down by the authorities of Jorhat Engineering College as a precautionary measure in the wake of the Jalukbari mishap, with the authorities enforcing regulations in regard to entry and exit of students from the campus after dusk.
Meanwhile, Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu visited Assam Engineering College on Wednesday and chaired a meeting with the college principal and hostel wardens on the measures to be taken in the wake of the mishap.
“The state government has already instituted an inquiry into the incident. The scope of the inquiry will cover the system of hostel administration in all other engineering colleges and polytechnic institutes under the higher education (technical) department of the state. The director of technical education (DTE) will submit a preliminary report today and final report within 15 days,” the minister said.
Notably, the Assam higher education department had asked the director of technical education and the principal of Assam Engineering College (AEC) to submit a report on the circumstances leading to the death of seven students of AEC in a road mishap at Jalukbari in the wee hours of Monday.
It may be recalled that seven boarders of a hostel in AEC had died on the spot when the SUV (Scorpio) they were travelling in, lost control and crossed over a divider before colliding with a pick-up van on the Jalukbari flyover road in the wee hours of Monday.
Three other injured students of AEC were admitted to a private hospital and are stated to be stable. Three injured passengers of the DI pick-up van were also admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in a critical condition.
AEC authorities had constituted a 10-member committee, comprising faculty members of the college, to inquire into the circumstances that led to the accident.