GUWAHATI: In the midst of controversy surrounding the potential amalgamation of colleges due to low enrollment, Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu clarified that the state government isn’t pursuing college mergers but rather implementing a cluster system.
Pegu emphasized efforts to boost enrollment in colleges with low numbers and outlined plans to cluster nearby institutions for multidisciplinary education and research, in line with the National Education Policy.
He addressed concerns about the state’s declining Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education, attributing it partly to colleges failing to submit student records.
Pegu highlighted measures to raise awareness among colleges, including workshops for teachers and principals, leading to improved record submission.
Despite initial issues, all colleges, including private ones, have now submitted their admission records.
Pegu expressed optimism about increasing GER in the coming years, citing recent efforts and a renewed focus on enrollment.
Additionally, Pegu mentioned a temporary salary stoppage for teachers due to enrollment decline, which was later resolved after colleges submitted their records, averting further complications with the state finance department.