SHILLONG, MAR 29: Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Smriti Zubin Irani on Tuesday announced the establishment of a separate department in NEHU to study tribal history, culture and philosophy of north eastern region.
Irani also announced the centre’s move to facilitate increase participation of women and differently abled students in higher education particularly Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D).
“Soon NEHU will establish a separate department to study the tribal history, culture and philosophy of the North East,” Irani said while addressing the 23rd Convocation of the University held on Tuesday.
In her first visit to the North Eastern Hill University, the union minister, who commended about NEHA brilliance and discipline that is hard to find, said, “This university has a legacy, a legacy to preserved, a legacy to bring forth to the world and a legacy that will harbor of change not only in the North East but across the nation.”
According to her, the North East has a diverse culture, a philosophy that can be taught across the nation and across the world besides a history which is rich in its contribution to mankind.
The union minister however stated, “The challenge is to have an institutionalize mechanism to study this history, this culture and this philosophy, given the fact we have lots of tribes not only in Meghalaya but across the North East region.”
“I believe that never before there has been an attempt to institutionalize or study tribal culture, history and philosophy,” she added.
She assured that with the establishment of such institution, it will be a benefit to the people from across the world, especially across the nation who are interested to understand and document the socio-economic, the political and cultural history of the North East with an added emphasis on the philosophy it has as she was told that the NE is a ‘mahila pradhan’ society.
Informing that a recent All India Survey for Higher Education indicated that more and more girls are enrolling into higher education, Irani said, “But I am of the opinion that till such time we propagate more women as faculty members truly the core of education will not be strengthened.”
The Union Minister further announced the centre’s decision to relax the time required for women and differently-abled students to complete their higher education to facilitate their increase participation.
“The Government of India has proposed that in the forthcoming commission of the University Grants Commission (UGC), it will give impetus to increase participation in Ph.D programme by women and by differently-abled students,” she said.
In order to facilitate them, Irani said, “We will ensure that instead of 2 years, women and differently-abled students be given 3 years to submit their M.Phil certification. Additionally they will be given 8 years instead of 6 years for submitting their thesis.”
According to her, this is because the centre recognized the biggest challenge faced by women, who because of marriage often leaves behind their aspiration and dreams.
Announcing that maternity leave for women will be recognized and given without counting them in the days of study for over 240 days, she also said that women who have to migrate due to marriage will be given migration facilities to ensure they can pursue their Ph.D anywhere in the country.
“The centre has requested UGC to recognized that particularly to increase participation of women and facilitating their Ph.D, migration facilities be given to these women for pursuing their Ph.D throughout the country,” she said.
Meanwhile, the students of NEHU was also seen rejoicing at the announcement made by the union minister when she assured that the School of Technology would soon get the approval of the AICTE besides setting up of a coaching centre.
Stating that these were the two issues put forth by the students’ union, Irani said, “I believe the School of Technology has been battling with the AICTE approval for the past one decade,” adding “The fact that the approval is needed for which the students are not to be blamed for the design fault that took place in the construction of rooms 10 years ago.”
“I as MHRD minister have communicated to the AICTE personally and I am told that the approval will be given in the coming one week,” she announced.
On the demand for a coaching centre, the union minister said, “In my conversation with the UGC, we hereby confirmed that NEHU will have a coaching centre which will provide coaching for SC/ST minority and female students.”
According to her, the coaching centre will ensure that the entry of students into services can be facilitated; they can be given remedial coaching for the NET exams besides improving and strengthen their knowledge, academic skills, linguistic proficiency and other subjects.
The union minister also conferred honorary degree to Olympian and five times boxing world champion MC Mary Kom and first woman chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission Rose Millian Bathew for the contributions they made in their respective fields and further the cause of women.
Meanwhile, over 10,000 students were conferred with degrees in various disciplines in the University.-By Our Reporter
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