Guwahati, June 1: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday asked the state education department to institute a high-level committee to inquire into the circumstances leading to the death of seven students of Assam Engineering College (AEC) in a road accident in Jalukbari during the wee hours of Monday.
Notably, till the inquiry is completed and the report examined by the government, the principal of AEC and the superintendent of the hostel where the students had stayed, would be asked to go on leave.
Moreover, the chief minister also asked the education department to constitute a committee to look into the present system of election in colleges and universities and submit a report on the need for reviewing the system in the wake of frequent clashes during the pre and post election period amongst the student community.
Further, to prevent recurrence of any such incident, Sarma also directed the education department to constitute another committee to strengthen discipline, rules and regulations in hostels of education institutions.
The committee will also look into strict enforcement of in and out time of hostels, complete prohibition of alcohol, etc, on hostel campuses and hostels and prohibition of extended stay of ex-borders of hostels.
The committee will also recommend ways for the promotion of healthy community life within the hostels.
Notably, in the wake of the tragic incident, authorities of AEC have issued a new set of rules and regulations for hostel boarders with the police administration authorised to pick up any boarder of hostels found outside the campus beyond the permissible time and without permission for valid grounds.
Among other curbs, regular checking would be conducted on the AEC hostel premises to prevent the entry of unauthorised persons and contraband items by surveillance teams to be formed by the college authorities.
Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu had visited the 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.
