Aid for SGC

SHILLONG, JULY 24: The state government today said an amount of Rs 1.40 crore has been sanctioned under the Rashtriya Uchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) for construction of an additional building of the Sohra Government College (SGC).

This was informed by the Minister in-charge Higher and Technical Education Roshan Warjri to a delegation of Sohra Government College Students’ Union (SGCSU) led by Sohra MDC Donevan Wanlang which met here on Monday.

“She (Warjri) informed us that Rs 1.40 crore has been sanction for construction of the college additional building,” Wanlang told reporters after the meeting.

The college located at Sohra, the wettest place on earth, is having a total enrollment of over 900 students which include 10+2 to degree level.

He however said the college at present is overcrowded in view of the fact that enrollment has increased following the ban on coal mining by the NGT which has hit the state’s economy badly thereby affecting the people.

“Most of the parents can no longer afford sending their children for studies outside the village,” Wanlang said.

Further highlighting the grievances faced by the students, SGCSU president Ethylbert Khongrymmai said due to lack of infrastructure, around 200 students were made to sit in one classroom.

“We have urged the minister to take up the matter seriously in order to address the inconveniences faced by the students’ community,” he said.

On the shortage problem with regards to the teaching staff, Khongrymmai said that there are only 29 teachers teaching in the college and two posts in the education department has been lying vacant after resignation and retirement of two teachers in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

“The minister has assured us that very soon the posts will be filled up with the joining of two teachers from Williamnagar College,” he said.

On the demand for creation of one more additional post in the education department, Wanlang said that the minister has advised the need to put up a proposal by the college’s principal in order for government to consider it.

The other demands include introduction of other departments like philosophy, sociology, geography, bus service, approving of students’ union constitution and fund for organizing college week programme.

Earlier, the union had also staged a rally in protest against the government’s lackadaisical attitude towards the plight of the students studying in the college in which over 600 students participated.