More and more controversies have come out on the decision by NEHU to go ahead with implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 from this year despite various difficulties expressed by college principals.
Further, teachers of the university revealed that the Academic Council of NEHU has never decided to implement the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) immediately from this year.
In a statement issued today, the NEHU Teachers’ Association (NEHUTA) said that it was anguished by the fact that a letter by the Officer on Special Duty (College Development Council) claimed that ‘in pursuance of the decision taken at the 110th Academic Council meeting of NEHU, the university would implement the FYUP’.
“The 110th Academic Council as a matter of fact didn’t decide upon implementation of the FYUP from the current academic year of 2023-24. Going by NEHU statues, all academic matters and their implementation are decided and overseen by the Academic Council,” NEHUTA said, adding that being aggrieved by this, it wrote a letter to OSD (College Development Council) requesting him to denotify the notice containing the claim of decision taken by the 110th Academic Council.
“The Academic Council is the principal academic body in deciding on ordinances of the university and also it is the authority to exercise general supervision over the academic policies of the university. The Executive Council is not empowered to implement any academic policy without prior approval on implementation, as the Academic Council has to exercise general supervision. FYUP, being a policy under National Education Police, 2020 does not fall under the purview of the Executive Council, as it is an academic matter. The powers of the Academic Council include the power to direct ‘regarding methods of instruction to colleges’ and in this case though the council adopted course and OC-12, it hasn’t issued directions to implement it from this academic year,” NEHUTA said.
The NEHUTA also expressed its shock and surprise over a report in an English newspaper (not Highland Post) quoting an esteemed colleague that the Academic Council does not have the wherewithal to implement FYUP.
“The statement smacks of partial understanding of the premier role of Academic Council in the matter and hence the NEHUTA rejects such a statement that commits an error of understanding the role of Academic Council,” NEHUTA said.
Further, the NEHUTA implored upon every stakeholder to follow the due process as prescribed by Statute 15 and Section 21(1) of the NEHU Act, 1973 in implementation of any academic programme after due consent from the Academic Council in the form of a clearly stated resolution.
“Any hurried implementation until the time when all the colleges of the entire state of Meghalaya are ready calls for a re-look at the process of implementation in all its details,” the NEHUTA asserted.
