No Assamese departments in Tezpur Central University & Assam University

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Two institutions of higher education born out of the signing of the Assam Accord, namely the Tezpur Central University and the Assam University in Silchar, do not have the Departments of Assamese. This was revealed at the Assembly on Thursday following a question raised by AGP MLA Pabindra Deka.

Replying on the issue, Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya said, “The State Government will take up the matter with the authorities concerned to ensure that the Assamese department is opened in both the varsities.”

Raising the issue, Deka said, “It’s a matter of concern that both the universities born out of the signing of Assam Accord do not have any Assamese department. I’ve learnt about it from media reports. The State government and the Education department must initiate steps to ensure that both the universities open the Assamese departments in their respective premises at the earliest.”

In reply, Bhattacharya stated, “We’ve already received reports from the authorities of both the universities. There is no Assamese department as such in Tezpur Central University. They had earlier sent a proposal to the University Grants Commission (UGC) for opening the department. But it was not accepted. Of course, a study centre on Assamese language is very much there besides a chair in the name of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva. They have also kept the Assamese language in their distance education mode.”

The Minister assured, “I shall personally take up the matter so that the university authorities send a fresh proposal to the UGC, and also to ensure its acceptance.”

With reference to the Assam University, Minister Bhattacharya pointed out, “The Diphu campus of Assam University has the Assamese department. I shall take up the matter with the authorities concerned to ensure that an Assamese department is opened in the main campus as well.”

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