Education ministry has approved Assamese department at Visva-Bharati university: Himanta Biswa Sarma

NEW DELHI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Saturday, said that the ministry of education has approved establishment of a full-fedged department of Assamese with six teaching and eight non-teaching positions at Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan.

The chief minister expressed his joy over the approval through his X account days after the department of higher education, under the education ministry approved the establishment on January 7.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also recommended four posts for imparting effective Assamese education, the minister said. “We are committed to take our Classical Language far and wide and promote its usage,” he added.

This move is expected to significantly boost the promotion of the Assamese language, which achieved classical language status last year, the chief minister said.

Jennifer Tirkey, the undersecretary of the education ministry, in a letter to the registrar of Visva-Bharti university, wrote: "Proposal for the establishment of a full-fledged department of Assamese with the creation of six teaching and eight non-teaching positions."

The official circular also said that the UGC expert committee has recommended one associate professor post and three assistant professor positions at the department of Assamese.

As per the letter, the university submitted its proposal through Samarth portal last year to the UGC, seeking establishment of a comprehensive Assamese department.

UGC Expert committee

The following posts have been recommended by the UGC for the Assamese department at Visva-Bharti university.