The state cabinet has decided to place the Capt Williamson Sangma Technical University amendment bill during the upcoming assembly budget session to change it into a state university.
Cabinet minister and spokesperson, Paul Lyngdoh told reporters after the cabinet meeting that converting the technical university to a state university will enable it to bypass the challenges of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
The CUET applies to North-Eastern Hills University, a central varsity. The State government had twice sought exemption for students from the test.
Lyngdoh informed that the state’s first university will offer courses in higher education, in the field of humanities, commerce, general science, engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, technologies and related matters.
“The proposal has been okayed by the law, finance and the personnel department and our efforts now will be to try and strengthen the various departments so that this university becomes a success story,” he added.
He further said that once the bill becomes an act everything will fall in place, whereby infrastructure, technical staff, facility and all that is required for setting up of a university will be looked into. Once the state university is made functional, affiliation of colleges will also happen.
Lyngdoh admitted that the space available will not suffice for setting up of the state but said, “We have to go on an expansion mode and with today’s technology everything is possible.”
The cabinet also approved enhancement of the grant-in-aid for 710 pre-primary schools in the state.
Lyngdoh said the grant-in-aid was a long-pending grievance of the pre-primary school teachers. “The grant-in-aid will be enhanced to Rs 18,000 from Rs 12,000 for all teachers belonging to the pre-primary school level,” he said.
The State government will require Rs 5.11 crore annually to implement the decision, he added.