SHILLONG, Dec 5: The state government is planning to operationalise some technical universities and colleges next year to mark the 50th statehood celebration.
Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on Sunday said the first meeting to discuss operationalising the technical university will be held in Tura in January.
“I am happy to inform that on January 12, we will have the first meeting in Tura on how to operationalise these technical universities,” Rymbui said.
Pointing out that a Bill to set up the Captain Williamson Sangma Technical University in South West Garo Hills was passed in 2011, Rymbui said, “Nobody knew that not a single meeting was held despite the passing of the bill. In 2019, we sanctioned the posts to start it.”
The varsity is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 16.96 crore and 80% of the work is said to have been completed. The state government intends to inaugurate it on January 21 coinciding with the celebration of the 50th year of statehood.
He said the government will try and operationalise the Shillong Polytechnic and Planning and Architecture College by next year.
“We will try to operationalise these two institutes next year, subject to clearance by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) because NEHU, the affiliated body, has already visited the campus,” he said.
“We have also established colleges in Patharkhmah and Rongjeng and we would like to operationalise them next year,” he added.
The minister said for the first time in the history of the state, nine colleges have been approved under the “people’s college” scheme and it is moving in the right direction.
Under the People’s College Grant-in-aid scheme, the beneficiary college will get some government-sanctioned post for both teaching and non-teaching staff.
Stating that since 2009, Sohra College, Captain Williamson Sangma College and Williamnagar College have been provincialised but had no building, Rymbui said the government had sanctioned over Rs 30 crore for that purpose.
