Assam Governor moves Centre to promote education

Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 30

July 1-15, 2007

Assam Governor moves Centre to promote education

The Governor stresses the need for granting permanent affiliation to the colleges under the BTC

Governor, Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh, has started taking initiative to improve the standard of education in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area and called upon the Union Human Resources Development Minister, Arjun Singh, to provide funds for 15 colleges of the area at least for period of five years. The Governor held meetings with the principals of 15 colleges of the BTC area to discuss their problems along with the Vice-Chancellor of the Gauhati University and started communication with the Central Government. He also held talks with State Education Minister Ripun Bora on the issue.

In a letter to the Union Human Resources Development Minister yesterday, the Governor stressed the need for granting permanent affiliation to the colleges under the BTC to enable them to get funds from the University Grants Commission. He said that he held a meeting with the heads of the colleges, which was attended among others by the Vice-Chancellor of the Gauhati University and the Deputy Chief Executive Member of the BTC. He said that the colleges should be first brought under the deficit grant-in-aid system to ensure regular payment of salaries of the faculty and staff and thereafter, the issue of permanent affiliation by the Gauhati University could be considered.

Referring to his discussion with Education Minister Ripun Bora in this regard, the Governor said that the Minister was also in agreement that the institutions should be brought under the cover of the Assam Elementary (Provincialization) Act of 1974. The Minister informed that instructions have been issued to the Director of Education to undertake inspection of the colleges through the Inspector of Colleges, the letter said.

The Governor revealed that the BTC authorities have already notified the colleges under the deficit grant-in-aid system and committed to release 20 percent of the fund required, but the balance amount is to be paid by either the State or the Central government at least for the transition period of five years. Lt Gen Singh called upon the Union Human Resources Development Minister to provide 80 percent share for a period of five years to bring the colleges in the BTC under the deficit grant-in-aid system. He said that such a move by the Government of India would give the much-needed boost to the higher education scenario in the areas covered under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

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