Meghalaya CM seeks Education Minister's intervention to set up CUET centres in 12 districts

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma held a crucial meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on July 4 in the national capital, where he presented pressing issues affecting the student community in the state. CM Conrad Sangma sought the Education Minister's attention and requested immediate intervention to address these concerns.

The Chief Minister specifically raised the matter of students from Meghalaya missing out on the Central University Common Entrance Test (CUET) due to the allocation of examination centers outside the state. In light of this, CM Conrad Sangma urged the Union Education Minister to issue necessary directions to the Ministry of Education and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to conduct a special CUET examination for those students who were unable to appear for the initial test.

"We have requested the Government of India to consider setting up CUET centres in all 12 districts of Meghalaya, preferably in institutions that possess adequate infrastructure and testing facilities for conducting CUET examinations," stated CM Conrad Sangma.

To address this issue promptly, the Meghalaya Government has proposed the establishment of CUET centres in prominent locations such as Shillong, Tura, Jowai, Nongstoin, and Williamnagar, which would effectively cater to the adjoining districts as well.

During the meeting, CM Conrad Sangma also highlighted the persistent challenges faced by Teacher Training Institutions in the state regarding document uploading, as required by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). He pointed out the recurrent errors and glitches in the NCTE website that hamper the smooth functioning of the institutions.

Furthermore, CM Conrad Sangma acknowledged the Government of India's establishment of the North East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE) in Meghalaya. However, he drew attention to the limited intake capacity of only 50 students for B.Ed courses, catering to the entire Northeast region. The Chief Minister emphasized that a disproportionately low number of seats have been allocated to aspiring students from Meghalaya compared to those from other states. He urged the exploration of possibilities to increase the enrolment capacity at NERIE, Meghalaya, to ensure equitable access to education for students from all states, particularly Meghalaya.