Shillong,July 21: The 110th NEHU Academic Council meeting never adopted a resolution to implement the NEP from 2023-24 academic session.
This was conveyed by Meghalaya College Teachers Association (MCTA) who addressed a press conference on Friday to reiterate that the academic council meeting adopted only the ordinances relating to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and also the syllabus prepared by different departments/schools.
Shiv Pradhan, teacher representative in NEHU academic council, MCTA general secretary AW Rani and president Dr (Mrs) BH Buam spoke to media persons and asserted that the NEHU Vice Chancellor was telling a lie to the people of the state when he addressed the media on July 19 regarding the nod of the academic council.
The trio said they are ready to apologise if they are proved wrong.
The MCTA also sent a letter to the NEHU Vice Chancellor PS Shukla by stating that his decision to implement the NEP 2020 in the under-graduate colleges from the academic session 2023-24 is shocking and unacceptable.
“The MCTA has teacher representatives to the academic council, and as responsible members their presence, participation and contributions cannot be discounted. In the 110th academic council meeting. the teacher representatives were present and even participated in the deliberations. Therefore, as members of the academic council they are in the know of the entire proceedings of the house in the referred meeting”, the letter said.
The association hence urged the VC to withdraw the circular/order issued from the office of the Officer on Special Duty, College Development Council regarding the implementation of NEP 2020.
According to MCTA, the order is based on the premise of misrepresentation of facts which amounts to a blatant lie and falsehood.
That in the referred Academic Council meeting, there was unanimity among the members of the Council that the NEP would be implemented from the 2024-25 academic session. This is due to the fact that NEHU was late in the preparation of the ordinances as well as the NEP syllabus of different disciplines. It may be appreciated and comprehended that the colleges have no time to prepare the infrastructural and financial requirements that are important for the implementation of the NEP.
In the academic council meeting, it was made clear by the VC that there were two parts with regard to the NEP 2020, First, it is the adoption of the ordinances, rules, regulations and syllabus required for the implementation of the NEP. Second, it is the actual implementation of the NEP 2020.
“It was agreed upon that the Academic Council would adopt the first while, the second one would be made effective from the 2024-25 academic session. This window of one year is to help the colleges prepare for the implementation of the NEP 2020. There is no mention of the resolution to implement the NEP 2020 in the proceedings of the 110 th Academic Council meeting and correctly so as no such resolution was ever taken in the said meeting”, the MCTA said.
According to the association, the colleges had already completed the admission process on the basis of old syllabus and this happened because of the slackness and unpreparedness of the University. The order/circular/ notification/letter has already created chaos in the college as many colleges have already started servicing the course as per the old syllabus.
The association pointed out that the state Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma as reported in the media on June 2 had categorically stated that Meghalaya was not ready to implement the NEP 2020 from the 2023-24 academic session in view of the lack of proper preparation.
“In view of the above, it can be stated that your office has violated all the principles of propriety by causing a breach to the privileges, powers and functions of the Academic Council. It is regretted to state that your method of the implementation of the NEP 2020 is undemocratic and dictatorial in nature paying disregard to the concerns of the stakeholders”, the MCTA said.
