Upgrading colleges to universities
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Department of Higher Education informed the principals of eight colleges, which were earlier proposed to be upgraded to universities, that the government had taken a decision to keep their institutions as ‘constituent colleges’. The department also made it known to the colleges that the move would require amendments to the relevant Acts.
Earlier, the Government had decided to upgrade Sibsagar College, Kokrajhar Government College, Bongaigaon College, J.B. College, North Lakhimpur College, Handique Girls’ Collège, Nagaon College, and Gurucharan College to universities.
According to a letter sent to the principals of the eight colleges, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu had a meeting with top-level officials of the department and vice chancellors of three universities on May 19, 2023. The meeting decided to keep the eight colleges as ‘constituent colleges’ instead of upgrading them to universities. To give the concept of ‘constituent colleges’, the department said that the relevant Acts of the ‘proposed universities’ would need amendments.
The department further said that the proposed amendments to the Acts have to be passed by the governing bodies and executive councils concerned of the respective colleges for onward submission to the Department of Higher Education for necessary action.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, “In the August Assembly session, the Government of Assam will introduce bills to establish new universities in Sibsagar College, Kokrajhar Government College, Bongaigaon College, J.B. College-Jorhat, North Lakhimpur College, Nagaon College, and Gurucharan College, as promised by me. However, the upgrading of Handique College will take time, as the college currently does not have adequate land. We are in the process of finding land for Handique College.”
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