Minister of state for education reviews Assam's central institutions

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati), hosted a progress review meeting of Assam’s Central Higher Educational Institutions (CHEIs) along with Sukanta Majumdar, union minister of Assam state education. The event served as a platform for discussions, and strategic planning, for strengthening the educational framework of Assam’s leading institutions.

The event was held on September 20 at IIT Guwahati and was attended by prominent personalities of educational institutes who shared updates on current progress, achievements, and future plans.

The event guest dignitaries included – BK Singh, director, of the education ministry; Parth Gautam, private secretary to the minister of state; professor G Krishnamoorthy from IIT Guwahati; Bibhas Modi, ACS; Sarat Kumar Patra, director of IIT Guwahati; and Ferdous Ahmed Barbhuiya, dean (administration) of IIT Guwahati.

Dr. Sukanta Majumdar emphasized the crucial role of higher education in promoting socio-economic growth in Assam and the Northeast. He said “Our institutes in the North Eastern states are facing multiple challenges—ranging from student well-being to financial and infrastructural constraints. It is imperative that we collectively rise to meet these challenges. Additionally, as the world moves toward the vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat,’ it is crucial for our institutions to emphasize research and innovation to compete on the global stage. We must continue building on this foundation to remain globally competitive”.

Student Exchange Programme

Professor Jalihal, director of IIT Guwahati, outlined the student exchange programme IIT Guwahati has in collaboration with Japanese universities. He also gave an update on ongoing research projects.

Jalihal highlighted the establishment of IIT Guwahati Research Park, an education ministry initiative. Additionally, he presented a new proposal for establishing a School of Architecture and Planning. The discussions were also held around the promotion of local languages and the critical issue of Assam’s floods.

About the review meeting

During the meeting, Majumdar praised institutions for their contributions to research, innovation, and community outreach. He further encouraged greater collaboration to align with national education goals.

He also highlighted the importance of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) to enhance students’s; access to a wider range of courses and ensure smoother educational pathways, fostering more inclusive and flexible learning opportunities for the region’s youth, the official IIT Guwahati statement said.

Highlights of the meeting

The highlights of the Assam CHEI’s progress review meeting included discussion and strategic planning around various topics listed below.

• Professor Anupam Saikia, dean of the outreach education programme at IIT Guwahati, highlighted the institute’s efforts in education outreach and innovation. He also presented developments and initiatives from CIT Kokrajhar.

• Biren Das, registrar of Tezpur University, provided an overview of the university’s key milestones and upcoming initiatives.

• Professor Piyush Pandey, director of IQAC at Assam University, discussed advancements in microbiology and improvements in academic quality.

• Surajit Panja, dean of academics (UG) at IIT Guwahati, focused on progress in undergraduate (UG) education.

• Professor Dilip Kumar Baidya, director of NIT Silchar, highlighted the institution’s achievements in infrastructure and research.

• Shri Bibhas Modi, secretary, government of Assam higher secondary education, presented for Rashtriya Uchhatar Siksha Abhiyan, Assam

“In closing remarks, professor Devendra Jalihal, director, of IIT Guwahati, reaffirmed the institutes’ unwavering commitment to educational excellence and research underscoring its significant role in both regional and national development,” said the IIT Guwahati statement.