Panel inspects Sangai varsity site
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 20 2015 :
To select the most appropriate site for the proposed private university already named Sangai University, the Assembly Select Committee today inspected eight probable sites in Churachandpur district.
Notably, Education Minister M Okendro tabled a Bill in the State Assembly during its previous session for setting up Sangai University but the Bill was later withdrawn and referred to the Assembly Select Committee so as to plug all loopholes.
M Okendro is also the Chairman of the Assembly Select Committee.
PHED Minister I Hemochandra, Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar, Hill Areas Committee Chairman Dr Chaltonlien Amo, Manipur Pollution Control Board Chairman Dr Ng Bijoy, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi, MLA Dr Alexander Pao, MLA Samuel Risom, MLA L Ibomcha and MLA Y Surchandra are the members of the committee.
However Dr Ratankumar, I Hemochandra and Dr Ibohalbi stayed away from today's inspection drive on account of their personal works.
Though he is not a member of the committee, MLA TN Haokip took part in the field assessment.
The places inspected by the committee as probable sites for Sangai University were Boljang village, Vajing village, Mongjang village, Vaison, Mata village, Thingkhangphai, Mualvaiphei and S Kotlien village.
The main campus of Sangai University would be located in Churachandpur district and it would have its branch campuses at Moreh and other places, as per the Bill tabled in the State Assembly.
Members of the committee who took part in the field assessment were of the opinion that the main campus of Sangai University should not be far away from the National Highway and it should be relatively safer from security point of view.
Talking about the inspection drive, Okendro pointed out that Manipur University has 1240 Post Graduate seats and IGNTU-Regional Campus Manipur has another 120 PG seats.
On the other hand, around 8000/9000 students complete graduation from 71 Government, aided and private colleges located in different parts of the State every year.
As MU and IGNTU-RCM Manipur cannot accommodate all the graduates, many bright students who could not be accommodated at MU or IGNTU-RCM nor has the capacity to go outside the State due to financial reasons have to give up higher education.
All the North Eastern States have private universities except Manipur.
Arunachal Pradesh has five private universities, Assam three, Meghalaya eight, Mizoram one, Nagaland two, Tripura one while Sikkim has four private universities.
Sangai National University would be set up and run by a registered trust called Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment.
The trust is already running two universities in India; Manav Bharti University at Solan, Himachal Pradesh and Madhav University near Mount Abu, Rajasthan.
As far as establishment of the private university is concerned, the State Government's role is restricted to ensuring sufficient power and water supply, extension of telecommunication facilities and indirect supervision whether the university is complying with standards norms and rules, said the Education Minister.