GUWAHATI, March 30 – Leader of the Assam Congress Legislature Party (ACLP) Debabrata Saikia has alleged that the assertions made by Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the Assam Women’s University (AWU) are far from being true.In a statement issued here, Saikia said the Technical wing of the State’s Higher Education Department had, on October 21, 2013, notified the Vice Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University (AAU) as the mentor of the AWU until its Vice Chancellor is appointed. A copy of this notification was sent to the personal secretary of the then Education Minister. But the then Education Minister did not write any note dissenting this decision on the issue of the mentor, said Saikia.

The Education Minister had forwarded the AWU Bill for the consideration of the State Cabinet and said in public that the Chief Minister was made its Chancellor for the greater interest of the public. After the new government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in the State, the AWU Court had its first meeting held in the Chief Minister’s Conference Hall at the Janata Bhawan here on June 24, 2015. The second meeting the AWU Court was also held under the chairmanship of the present Chief Minister and Chancellor of the University on September 6, 2016.

In that meeting, the Chief Minister praised the functioning of the University and attributed the progress made by the University to its mentor, officers and employees. The Chief Minister announced his resolve to develop AWU as a stand alone university. Like in the first meeting of the AWU Court, here also the Chief Minister apprised all those present that out of the 565 posts of the University, required steps were being taken to approve around 105 posts, including that of its Vice Chancellor.

The University Grants Commission had on December 2, 2014, authorised the AWU to award degrees. The mentor and others made an appeal to the UGC in this regard and the Commission has accepted the plea slapping certain conditions.

Moreover, the Executive Council of the AWU appointed several personalities as the members of the University Court through a decision in its July 26, 2016 meeting. These personalities include, among others, renowned Sattradhikar Dr Pitambar Dev Goswami and educationist Dr Dayananda Bargohain.

The AWU Executive Council comprises social worker Dr Hemaprabha Barthakur, educationist Ranjit Narayan Deka and Speaker of the State Assembly Hitendra Nath Goswami.

Later, a committee constituted by the Education Department suggested that the AWU should be strengthened. This committee had a former Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University as one of its members, Saikia said.

News Source Assam Tribune