No plans to merge colleges with low enrollment in Assam: Ranoj Pegu

Digital Desk: Assam's Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, has made it clear that there are no plans to merge colleges with low enrollment in the state. 

He emphasized that regardless of student enrollment, the government is committed to enhancing education at all levels. 

Taking to X, the minister wrote, "Today at Guwahati, we cleared the air at a press conference: no plans to merge colleges with low enrollment. We're boosting enrollments through college clustering, faculty sharing, transitioning to co-ed, expanding hostels, and student counselling in HS Schools. With updated data in the All India Survey on Higher Education this year, we're set to enhance the State's GER in Higher Ed."

Assam education minister previously stated that in order for colleges to remain viable, principals have to work on enrolling more students. 

 

"Principal must make efforts to increase the number of students to make the colleges sustainable. At the end of all efforts, if a college fail to attract students, the department will take action. Principals are to ensure quality education so that students and parents are attracted," stated Pegu. 

It's noteworthy that earlier on February 24, Pegu posted on his X, "Today, the Higher Education Department conducted a meeting with the Principals and Governing Body Presidents of 79 Colleges having less than 500 enrolments and discussed the possible roadmap to enhance enrolment. I’ve directed @higherednassam to draft a policy similar to #Shilshakshetra in @SchoolEdnAssam, aiming to merge Colleges or Departments having low enrolment and to stop recruiting teachers against vacancies in dept with low enrolment."

According to reports, the aim of the initiative is to improve the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education, which is a priority of the state government.