The A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) sarcastically thanked the Hynñiewtrep Integrated Territorial Organisation (HITO) for raising the subject of the underrepresentation of members of the Khasi-Jaiñtia community in the College of Teacher Education in Rongkhon, Tura.
Yesterday, HITO met with Director of Education and Literacy, Ambrose Marak, to seek assurances that the state’s reservation policy is being implemented at the college. Out of 50 students, only seven are from Khasi-Jaiñtia community.
In a rebuttal today, AHAM rather mockingly referred to HITO, though without naming the organisation.
“The national organisation of A’chiks hereby expresses gratitude to some Khasi brethren for opening up the Pandora’s Box of equal representation or instituting reservations for A’chik, Khasi and Jaiñtia in all the institutions and departments of Meghalaya,” the release from AHAM’s chief organising secretary Bromio Marak said.
He went on to say that this has “awakened” Garos to ascertain how many of their tribe are in the B.Ed and PGT colleges in Jowai and Shillong, as well as the Shillong campus of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
AHAM will also seek information from all government departments to see whether the state’s job reservation policy is being adhered to.
“There have also been anomalies in the admissions to NEHU and other colleges receiving grant-in-aid from the Meghalaya government… A’chiks are getting admissions in few or none in most of the departments and, therefore, the same reservation policy should be implemented in all the institutions of the state,” the pressure group said.
