Guwahati: The Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University (KKHSOU) marked a significant milestone in its educational journey on 3rd July with the foundation stone laying ceremony for Regional Centre building at Purani Gayan Gaon in Jorhat.
The foundation stone was laid by KKHSOU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajendra Prasad Das in the presence of university officials, representatives of the Public Works Department (PWD), study centre officials, local dignitaries and well-wishers.
The Jorhat Regional Centre has been functioning from a rented premises at Tarajan since December 2013 and serves as the University's academic and administrative hub across six Upper Assam districts—Jorhat, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Charaideo, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia. With preliminary site work now completed, full-scale construction of the new facility is set to commence.
Addressing the event, Prof. Das reaffirmed the University's commitment to completing the project on schedule. He said the permanent regional centre would strengthen learner support services and expand KKHSOU's academic outreach across Upper Assam.
Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department, Jorhat, Pranjal Pujari, assured the University of the department's continued technical support, including assistance with design and quality assurance throughout the construction process.
The proposed building will be constructed on a plot measuring 1 bigha, 1 katha and 13 lessa, with a built-up area of approximately 6,000 square feet. It will include facilities for counselling, examinations, admissions, academic programmes and administrative activities.
At present, the Jorhat Regional Centre oversees 76 Learner Support Centres across six districts and caters to more than 10,000 active learners enrolled in various programmes. The new building is expected to significantly enhance the University's capacity to provide accessible and efficient educational services.
The ceremony was attended by several senior university officials, including Dr. Ridip Dev Choudhury, Dean of Study Centre (i/c); Dr. Ratul Kumar Patowary, Deputy Registrar (Administration); Birinchi Bora, Assistant Registrar (Study Centre); and Dr. Sanjib Ghimire, Assistant Regional Director of the Jorhat Regional Centre.
The foundation stone laying marks another important step in KKHSOU's mission of "Education Beyond Barriers", reinforcing its commitment to delivering flexible, affordable and inclusive higher education to learners across Upper Assam.