Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah dropped a 1,750 crore spending plan Friday to overhaul the state's higher education system. The money targets infrastructure growth, college autonomy, and support for thousands of teachers. Seven major universities will collect 100 crore each for campus upgrades.
Sibsagar, Jagannath Barooah, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, and Gurucharan universities hit the jackpot. Another seven institutions, including Majuli University of Culture, will each see 50 crore injected into their accounts. Gauhati University is slated for 100 crore this year, mirroring the amount already delivered to Dibrugarh University. Baruah confirmed changes for Majuli University, noting: "The Majuli University of Culture would be expanded beyond its existing cultural focus by introducing Science and Arts programmes."
The government is also throwing cash at autonomous colleges. Twenty-seven schools recently gained UGC status and will each snag 2 crore to cover academic costs. Teachers aren't being left behind either. Over 15,000 educators applied for the Guru Dakshina scheme, which the Education Department is now vetting.
Bureaucrats plan to keep provincialising venture colleges. They have 8,000 applications pending for the transition. To clear the backlog, lawmakers intend to amend the provincialisation act and shift the eligibility cut-off date. This move opens the door for more tutors and teachers to join the state payroll.
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