Assam Education Minister Clarifies No Plans to Merge Colleges with Low Enrollment
Guwagati, March 1: In a recent press conference held in Guwahati, Assam’s Education Minister, Ranoj Pegu, reiterated the state government’s commitment to bolstering education at all levels, dispelling rumors of plans to merge colleges with low enrollment. Minister Pegu emphasized that the government is dedicated to enhancing enrollment figures through various strategic measures.
Minister Pegu outlined a multifaceted approach to boosting enrollments, including college clustering, facility sharing, transitioning to co-education, expanding hostel facilities, and implementing student counseling services in high schools. He underscored the significance of these initiatives in improving the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education across the state.
Addressing concerns about sustainability, Minister Pegu urged college principals to actively work towards increasing student numbers. He stated that while the department encourages efforts to attract more students, it will take action if colleges fail to achieve sustainable enrollment levels. Principals were instructed to prioritize quality education to attract both students and parents.
Earlier discussions within the Higher Education Department involved meetings with principals and governing body presidents of 79 colleges with enrollments below 500 students. Minister Pegu directed the drafting of a policy similar to the Shilsha Kshetra initiative in school education, aimed at merging colleges or departments with low enrollment and halting teacher recruitment in such departments.
Reports had previously speculated that these measures were part of the state government’s efforts to enhance the Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher education, aligning with its priorities. However, Minister Pegu’s recent statements have clarified that while the government is committed to improving GER, there are no immediate plans to merge colleges solely based on enrollment numbers.