Students protest in Jorhat on Thursday over the university downgrade bid. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati: Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia on Thursday said Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was aware of the appointment of a mentor at Assam Women’s University (AWU).

“The education minister told the Assembly that he was not aware of appointing a mentor at AWU. The technical department of higher education department on October 21, 2013, had issued a notification that the Assam Agricultural University vice-chancellor will be the mentor to AWU. A copy of the notification was given to Sarma’s personal secretary,” he said.

He said Sarma had never sent a dissenting note on the appointment of a mentor.

“Sarma was trying to portray that appointing a mentor was illegal. But the university act says in case there is a vacancy in the vice-chancellor’s office, the chancellor shall make necessary arrangements for exercising the powers and performing the duties of the vice-chancellor, until one appointed under the provisions of the act, assumes office. This nullifies the charge made by Sarma against former chief minister Tarun Gogoi,” Saikia said.

He said chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, as the chancellor of the university, had attended the court meeting of AWU on September 6, 2016, and said that AWU will become a standalone university.

News Source Telegraph India