Shillong: Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit demanded the Meghalaya government pause the Meghalaya Private Colleges Promotion and Regulation Act, 2025. During a legislative discussion on Thursday, the VPP chief slammed the law for creating a redundant regulatory layer over existing oversight from the University Grants Commission and North-Eastern Hill University.
Basaiawmoit warned that Section 6 forces established colleges into a trap. He stated it is “effectively imposing retrospective regulation” on these institutions. The lawmaker also flagged Section 25 for giving the Act power over other laws, which triggers a direct conflict with national UGC standards. He argued that sections 22 and 24, which block civil court access and grant final say to the government, drain institutional autonomy.
The state treats private and government colleges differently. That creates a glaring inequality in rules. Basaiawmoit also took aim at the new direct cash transfer system for textbooks. He warned that cash in bank accounts provides no guarantee of books, especially in rural zones lacking supply shops.
The Education Department is also feeling the pinch. A recent notification on the Structured Pay Framework limits hiring based on cash availability through 2028. Basaiawmoit accused the state of hypocrisy, noting the government is “giving with the left hand and taking it back with the right” by squeezing teaching vacancies under the guise of fiscal management.
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