GUWAHATI, Feb 7 - Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya today informed the State Assembly that he will ask the authorities of Tezpur University (TU) and Assam University (AU) to take up the matter of inclusion of Assamese department with the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The Minister was replying to a call of attention motion moved by AGP legislator Pabindra Deka.
Deka pointed out that although both the universities were set up as a result of the historic Assam Accord, having an Assamese department remains a distant dream.
The Minister, in his reply, conceded that the non-existence of Assamese department is indeed a matter of concern and assured to take up the matter with the authorities concerned.
Although the Diphu campus of Assam University has the Assamese department, its main campus at Silchar still does not have the department. The Minister also stated that Tezpur University had introduced a distance learning course on Assamese last year.
The Tezpur University authorities informed that a proposal was sent to the UGC under the 12th Finance Commission to set up the Assamese department, which, however, was not approved, he added.
Bhattacharya said he will request the university to resend the proposal and pursue the matter until the proposal is accepted by the UGC.
