SHILLONG, DEC 21: The state government will initially invest Rs 50 crore for the setting up of nine community colleges to make higher education accessible to the students of the state especially those from the rural areas.
Addressing newsmen after a cabinet meeting held here, chief minister Mukul Sangma, “The one time capital expenditure for setting of the nine community colleges will be Rs 50 crore while the recurring expenditure is 53.106 crore.”
He said that there are two categories of community colleges which include Ground Field (existing colleges which will get one time investment of Rs 2 crore) and Green Field (newly set up colleges of Rs 10 crore each).
According to him, the recurring expenditure mostly pertains to salary of teachers which will be in conformity with UGC norms as the idea is to attract the best of brains to these community colleges where the post of teacher is non-transferable.
Under the phase-one approved by the cabinet, colleges falling under the ground field category include Nongstoin College, Tirot Sing Memorial College, Ri Bhoi College, Shangpung College and Jaintia Eastern College, Khliehriat.
Whereas, the new community colleges to be set up under green field category include Tura, Ampati, Chokpot and Rongjeng, he said while informing that these colleges will have science, commerce and arts streams.
Stating that the new model of college was conceptualized to also relieve the burden on the state capital, Sangma said, “The establishment of the community colleges will address the demand and supply gap in providing seats to students who aspires to take up higher education.”
He said that the education department is often confronted with the problem of providing admission to students of secondary and higher secondary.
“This is one of the best model to ensure that students from rural areas have a dedicated college at their own backyards. Our approach is to go beyond the state capital,” Sangma said.
Asked, the chief minister said that the teachers will be appointed by a governing body which will be drawn from the government and the community.
“It is like partnering with the community but funded by the government in term of development of infrastructures and others,” Sangma said while informing the concept of community college will also be expanded across the state.
By Our Reporter
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