Meghalaya Govt to seek permission to adapt NCERT text books

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 21: The State government will soon write to the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) requesting for copyright permission to adapt its textbooks for classes I to X from the next academic session.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Monday with the textbook committee and officials of the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE), Directorate of Educational Research and Training (DERT) and education department.

After the meeting, Sangma said, “We just held a meeting and we have decided to immediately write to the NCERT for copyright permission.”

He said the government of Meghalaya had recently decided to adapt the NCERT textbooks for classes I to X. Earlier, the government had done the same for class XI and XII since 2018.

“The follow up meeting was held today because before the next session starts we have to be ready with the textbooks to be made available in the mid of February and before the start of the academic session,” Sangma said while adding “Once we get the copyright, we will constitute a due process and we will go for printing (of the textbooks).”

Further, the education minister also informed that the department is also constituting a scrutiny committee.

“The committee will scrutinize with our subject experts of the existing NCERT textbooks where there is any portion or any chapter which does not suit the state environment. All these will be scrutinized so we are setting up the committee,” he said.

Stating that the government is working hard to come up with the state curriculum framework at the earliest, Sangma said, “(This will enable us to) to have a comprehensive curriculum in the syllabus. Once we are ready with the state curriculum framework, the MBOSE, DERT and education department will develop textbooks, the contextualisation and addition/deletion here and there which will suit the state environment. We are not going to completely implement the NCERT textbooks but our local content will be added. Once we get the copyright permission from the NCERT, we will immediately process the thing because the academic session is very important.”

The minister said, “Earlier the MBOSE has allowed certain schools, affiliated to the board to use their own textbooks but cabinet has decided to make it mandatory all the schools affiliated to the board to use the prescribed or recommended textbooks most likely from 2025 but from 2024 since many of the private schools have already went ahead in their advance stage so mostly the government schools will be on this page but 2025 onwards, the state curriculum framework will be ready and contextualisation of the NCERT textbooks will be ready. We will make it mandatory to all the schools affiliated to MBOSE.”

Sangma also assured that the department will ensure there is no error in the process. “We will constitute a committee to review all this and we will make sure MBOSE, DERT coordinate well and use the resources so that we develop the best textbooks, which is a knowledge resource for our children.”

Also informing that the government will soon introduce an additional subject to be included in the state curriculum framework, Sangma said, “We will include about our culture, about our tradition, nature, what we eat, what we speak, the geography of the state. Whoever comes from outside to study in Meghalaya they should read about our culture, our nature, our food system, our living system and they can go back.

This is what the education department should promote. It is not about preservation but it is about promotion too.”

He also asserted the importance for students to learn about the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and said, “Many students are not aware that the Sixth Schedule is a strong pillar for our state. So every student must be educated very well on this.”

CM inspects ongoing projects in WGH

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma inspected several ongoing projects with Tura and its adjoining areas in West Garo Hills on Thursday.

He inspected the ongoing construction of the Tura Medical College at Doldegre, about 7 km from Tura town, where Tura Civil Hospital is located.

Reviewing the ongoing construction with officials of health department, Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills and officials of the construction company, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that the pace of the construction is slow, which has been quickened recently.

“The civil works of the college should be completed by June-July next year. We are hopeful to complete the infrastructure and start the medical college. The process to increase the beds in Tura Civil Hospital will also start soon,” the Chief Minister added.

The Chief Minister has also directed Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Chelani to hold regular reviews with the construction company and ensure that the college is completed within the coming year.

He also inspected the ongoing construction of Tura Youth Convention Centre, which is coming up at Dakopgre and also the Track and Field Stadium.

Expressing happiness over the ongoing construction of the sports and youth facilities, he said, “We expect that within 1.5 years, the stadium and the convention centre will be inaugurated. These two infrastructures will be a blessing for Tura town and the State as a whole as different kinds of sports, games and events of State and national level can be held in Tura in the near future.”

Construction of Tura Medical College in progress

Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh has informed that the work for the construction of the Tura medical college is progressing.

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“We have about 45 per cent of physical progress. There are some problems (and) we are engaging with other nearby hospitals to ensure that we reach the mark of 450 beds as recommended by the MCI,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

She said that there were also certain problems with the availability of funds but that also has been sorted out.

The minister also announced that she will be visiting the construction site very shortly and said, “I am waiting for the model code of conduct to be completed quickly so I can begin to go on the ground to understand better but the Tura Medical College is progressing.

On the proposal to set up the Shillong medical college, Lyngdoh said that the government is yet to formulate a finalized approach and the matter has still to be taken to the cabinet adding that “but internal engagements are on”.

“We still require proper cabinet note to be sent proper projections to be made but yes Shillong medical college will probably change from the old proposal,” she said while adding that “We may have a PPP proposal as proposed earlier but not necessarily in Shillong but somewhere in this part of the state but all of this is being prepared now and it would be incorrect for me to divulge too much on that but one message which can go very clearly is that we are a concern and we are on the job and we will come up with a proposal and a plan at the earliest.”

When asked, Lyngdoh said, “We want these institutions to be materialized within the timeline that was specified. I know that yes we were told to institute one and it has been done in the Garo region yes we have to institute something in the Khasi region or the Ri Bhoi region as well that is we are on the job and on the pipeline but we cannot spell it out with full authority as we are still at a discussion level and we still looking at what is the best way forward.”