Minister for higher education & technical education, Temjen Imna Along, while asserting that all educational institutions in the north-east region were “still very young”, asked government of India to provide “special package to the struggling institutions”.
According to a press release by state project director (RUSA), higher education, Menuokholie Kire, the minister was addressing the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) phase 2 Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting on May 25 at the India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi.
The minister highlighted that the North Eastern states depended entirely on central funding to develop its educational institutions since the institutes have no internal revenue.
He stated that due to lack of proper educational facilities many of the students from the region were migrating to other parts of the country for higher education in spite of financial difficulties.
Along, however, suggested that with proper support from the ministry, the educational institutions in the region had the potential to grow and compete with other states and could even perform better.
The release further said that secretary MHRD & RUSA National Mission Director, R. Subramanyam, while emphasizing on the need of performance-based funding under RUSA phase 2, acknowledged that the educational institutions in the region needed special support.
He assured the members that a special provision would be made exclusively for the North Eastern states.
Joint secretary, MHRD & RUSA Mission Director, Ishita Roy, acknowledged the presence of, and efforts made by each states/UTs, UGC Director and financial advisor (MHRD) with special appreciation to Temjen Imna Along, the only minister for higher education & technical education who attended the meeting.
The minister was accompanied by state project director (RUSA), Menuokholie Kire, project officer (RUSA), Ruokuosatuo Yhome and Benjamin Yepthomi.