SHILLONG, July 30: The Meghalaya College Teachers’ Association (MCTA) has announced a non-cooperation movement against North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) over the implementation of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The MCTA has accordingly called upon all its members to boycott the first semester classes from August 1 until further notice. The boycott, however, would not apply to third and fifth-semester classes, the association said.
The MTCA took this decision in its emergent meeting on Saturday to protest the “illegitimate decision” of vice-chancellor Prabha Shankar Shukla to push through the implementation of NEP 2020 by “disrespecting appropriate processes”.
MCTA secretary, Airpeace W. Rani said implementing the NEP without the endorsement of the Academic Council, the key body in ensuring the integrity and suitability of educational policies in an institution, bypasses the crucial process of checks and balances.
He said the MCTA believes that NEHU’s decision to implement the NEP without proper authorisation is not in the best interests of the students, faculty, or the broader academic community.
He added that the attempt of a member of the NEP 2020 Committee, Ghanshyam Bez to defend the stance of the vice-chancellor by claiming that the NEHU Academic Council cannot implement NEP reflects the definite intent to push the NEP 2020 through.
Rani said any attempt to justify the action of the VC would be futile as the demand of the MCTA is indefensible.
He called upon all the members to refrain from participating in any activities related to the implementation of the NEP until it is formally approved by all concerned.
Rani expressed concern and disappointment over the VC’s indifference to the association’s representation on July 21 to withdraw a July 12 notification regarding the implementation of the NEP.
The Meghalaya Tribal Teachers’ Association (MeTTA) has also questioned NEHU’s decision to implement the NEP on a hybrid mode.
MeTTA president, DRL Nonglait on Sunday said there cannot be two under-graduate courses for the same batch.
According to him, this move of the university will create disparity among the students since some of them will be undertaking the four-year UG courses as per the NEP, while others would still be pursuing the three-year UG courses.
“The implementation of the NEP should be concurrent throughout the state,” the MeTTA president said.
Nonglait said the notification issued by the Officer on Special Duty of the College Development Council on July 12 to implement the NEP from the academic session of 2023-2024 (August) is misleading.
He said the 110th Academic Council meetings held on May 9 and June 2 had only approved the syllabus of the four-year UG courses for two semesters.
“There was no decision by the Academic Council to go ahead with the implementation of the NEP, 2020. But it looks like Vice Chancellor, Prabha Shankar Shukla is adamant on going ahead with the implementation of the NEP even if it means bypassing the Academic Council which is the supreme body of the university on policy matters,” he said.
Nonglait said the MeTTA is in agreement with the MCTA, NEHUSU and others that most of the colleges are not ready to implement the NEP right away since they do not have the infrastructures or the faculty strength.
“We are not ready to go ahead with the implementation of the NEP from August itself,” Nonglait reiterated.
Nonglait also said that the members of the NEP Committee of the university had a series of meetings with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma and senior government officials to deliberate on this matter.
“What we learnt is that the majority of the colleges have indicated to the state government that they are not yet ready. No decision could be arrived at in the discussion between the university and the government officials,” he recalled.
He said that the Vice Chancellor had convened a meeting with the Meghalaya Principal College Council where some prominent colleges had expressed that they would want to go ahead with the NEP from August.
“We cannot allow only a few colleges to go ahead with the implementation of the NEP. The implementation of the new policy has to be throughout the state,” Nonglait said.
