Rural education crisis: Opp slams govt over lack of colleges and digital divide

SHILLONG, June 27: Meghalaya’s rural-urban education divide is widening into a chasm as opposition parties flag a systemic failure that leaves entire districts without government colleges and nearly 80% of schools cut off from the digital world.
The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has raised alarms over the “cost of distance” imposed on rural families. Party leader Batskhem Myrboh pointed out that despite years of governance, several districts still lack a single government college, while numerous blocks remain without government higher secondary schools.
This infrastructure gap forces students from remote areas to migrate to Shillong or Tura for basic higher education, incurring heavy hostel and travel expenses that many families cannot afford. Myrboh argued that the government’s failure to provide local institutions has turned education into a financial burden, effectively limiting access for the state’s poorest students.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) added to the criticism, highlighting the state’s dismal digital infrastructure. Citing national data, the Congress noted that only 19.7% of schools in Meghalaya have access to computers—among the lowest rates in the country.
This digital divide has direct consequences for student careers. The MPCC cited instances where rural students missed admission deadlines or failed to complete online applications for competitive exams due to poor internet connectivity and errors at common service centres. In one notable case, a student who qualified for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) was reportedly unable to pursue the opportunity due to financial constraints and a lack of institutional support.
The opposition further criticised the state’s education policy for its over-reliance on guidebooks rather than improving classroom learning outcomes.
Critics argue that until the government prioritises the establishment of schools and colleges in underserved blocks, the state’s rural youth will remain trapped by a “poverty tax” that prioritises geography over merit.