The government of India has decided to extend the exemption to Meghalaya, as well as, other states in the Northeast, from the admission process into central universities in specific regions through Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
A communiqué issued by P.K. Singh, under secretary to the government of India, ministry of education, dated March 15, said, “Given the geographical conditions, hilly terrains, far-flung locations, limited digital connectivity infrastructure etc. as an impediment in conducting the CUET in Northeastern regions, the central universities of Northeastern regions were allowed to take admission in the affiliated colleges to the central university as per past practices instead of CUET for the year 2022-2023.”
“Keeping in view the present situation, it has been decided that the above exemption may be extended for one more year for 2023-2024,” the statement from the centre read.
The central universities in Northeastern regions include Sikkim University, Rajiv Gandhi University, Manipur University, Assam University, Tezpur University, Nagaland University, Tripura University, Mizoram University, NEHU and HNGBU, Uttrakhand.
Mentionably, on March 7, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma wrote to Union minister of education Dharmendra Pradhan seeking exemption for higher studies aspiring students of Meghalaya from CUET.
In the letter, Sangma wrote that the state government has also taken the necessary steps to create a state university.
Keeping in tune with this assurance of the CM, the state cabinet had on Friday approved the setting up of a state university to address the challenges faced by the students relating to the CUET.
Cabinet minister and Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh said the Captain Williamson Sangma Technical University (Amendment) Bill will be tabled in the House to make it a Captain Williamson Sangma State University.
He said that the move came after the cabinet on Saturday took up the matter of establishing its first state-run university.
He said that in the first state university, multiple courses in higher education, in the field of humanities, commerce, general science, engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, technologies and related matters, will be offered.
Stating that the proposal has been approved by the law department, the finance department and the personnel department, Lyngdoh said, “Our efforts now will be to try and strengthen the various departments so that this university becomes a success story.”
The Captain Williamson Sangma Technical University was set up at Tura, West Garo Hills District, in 2011.
Asked as to when the state university will be set up, Lyngdoh said, “We have already passed and adopted a cabinet memo to change the technical university into a state university. What comes next is the infrastructure, the support, the technical staff, and the faculty. These will fall in place once the Act is adopted.”
Lyngdoh further said that once the state university is made functional, the affiliation of colleges will also take place.
At present, almost all the colleges across the state are affiliated with the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU).
Meanwhile, BDR Tiwari, commissioner & secretary in charge, education, said that the timeline for students to enrol for the CUET has been extended to March 30.
“At present, that is the status,” he said, responding to a query on the status of the government’s request for the exemption of Meghalaya from the conduct of the CUET.
