GUWAHATI, May 22 - Expressing concern over the rejection of the recognition of Golaghat Engineering College by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) due to the failure of the college to meet the mandated norms, the All Assam Students� Union (AASU) today urged Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya to take urgent measures for getting the recognition back.
In its letter, the AASU held the State government responsible for the disturbing development, which it said would jeopardise the future of the students studying in the college, saying the government must initiate corrective measures immediately.
�The government�s sheer casual attitude is behind the fiasco, as it paid scant regard to meeting the basic norms before launching the college. Since it is the government�s failure, it must make amends immediately by doing the needful for getting back the recognition,� it said.
Pointing out that the AICTE had made it clear in its letter to the State government about the glaring shortcomings of the institute in matters of infrastructure and amenities, teachers� shortage, absence of a full-time Principal, etc., the AASU questioned what had prevented the government from creating the required infrastructure and fulfilling the mandated norms before going ahead with the college.
�The AICTE has cited as many as 17 drawbacks of the college for which it had to reject the institute�s recognition. This is shocking and it reflects very poorly on the government which keeps shouting from the rooftops about its so-called commitment to the cause of education. This is pathetic,� it said.
The AASU said both the Education Minister and the Chief Minister owed an explanation to the people and they must compensate for their shocking lapse by ensuring that the college gets the required amenities at the earliest.
�The matter is extremely serious but the government still seems to be maintaining a cavalier and irresponsible attitude. It must act fast. It involves the students� future,� it said.
The AICTE rejected the plea for recognition of Golaghat Engineering College after a delegation of its experts had inspected the college on March 4, 2019. Subsequently, the college was denied recognition in an official letter issued on April 30, 2019, for not submitting verified documents.
In a final letter of rejection addressed to the Department of Higher Education (Technical), Government of Assam, altogether 17 detailed reasons were listed. Some of the reasons are non-submission of vital documents and other information.
The college was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sonowal in February 2019 before the Parliamentary election.
The college, built at a cost of Rs 46.68 crore on a sprawling 110-bigha�plot, has Civil, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering branches in its curriculum. The college has an intake capacity of 180 students. The college started its academic activities in 2018 with 92 students.
