SHILLONG:
The State government has written to the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) informing that majority of the colleges in the state are not ready to implement the new national education policy (NEP) within this academic year.
This was informed by the state Education minister Rakkam A Sangma after a meeting with delegation of NEHU Students’ Union, here on July 26.
Sangma told reporters that the state government had received letters from 43 colleges out of which 33 colleges have expressed that they are not ready to implement the NEP this year. In view of this, the state government had written to the NEHU vice-chancellor three times on May 17, June 27 and July 25.
“We have communicated to NEHU that our institutions are not ready to implement NEP during this academic session and that most of the institutions are requesting to defer implementation to the next academic session,” he said.
Sangma however informed that prominent colleges in the state have decided to implement the new NEP from this academic year.
Stating that a series of meetings have been held with NEHU authorities on the matter, Sangma said at his level, such meetings were held twice and the last meeting was held on July 4 at the chamber of the chief secretary DP Wahlang.
NEHU has agreed to implement the new NEP in a hybrid mode.
“We have told the VC of NEHU to discuss with the heads of all institutions first. After this discussion, the university came up with this idea and told the state government that there is a provision for hybrid mode. This would mean that any institution, which wants to go ahead with NEP implementation, can do so and those who are not ready can defer the implementation till the next academic year,” Sangma said.
When asked, the minister said if institutions in the state do not start NEP implementation within this academic year, students who aspire to go for further studies will not be able to take admission in other states of the country.
Earlier while speaking to reporters, NEHUSU finance secretary Mandor Diengdoh Swer said that the union is not against NEP but implementing the same within this August, will only be detrimental to students.
“We are for implementing the NEP as there are lots of merits or advantages in the NEP. However, students will face hardship if we implement it in August since they have already taken admissions in different courses. Admissions are also closed and some of the institutions have already started with the classes,” he said while alleging that students would also be subjected to pay additional fees.
Slamming the style of functioning of NEHU VC, Swer said, “His (VC) action proves that he is working not for the welfare of students but for the welfare of people in power in Delhi. So he is using NEHU as a platform for himself. As NEHUSU, we stand against that.”
He also threatened that if the VC does not keep into mind the welfare of students, the union will be forced to demand for his removal and ensure that a local VC is appointed.
The union leader further alleged that the VC had decided to implement NEP on his own when the academic council which had met on May 19 to discuss NEP had not taken any decision to implement the new policy.
“There have been suggestions to implement it by 2024-25 but the problem is that the VC wants to implement it now,” he added.