CUET exemption for Meghalaya? MDA 2.0 awaiting Centre’s response

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 15: The state government is still awaiting the response of the Education Ministry for exempting Meghalaya from conducting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

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“Our chief minister had met the union minister and sought for exemption for the state and the response from the ministry is awaited,” Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma told reporters.

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In a letter to the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on March 7, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said, “and as most of the colleges in the state are affiliated to the North Eastern Hill University, I request your good office to kindly exempt the state of Meghalaya from conducting the CUET.”

“The state of Meghalaya has recently undergone a Legislative Assembly election, the results of which have been declared last week. This has resulted in the delay of State Board examination and in this regard, students are facing unprecedented challenges to attempt the CUET for the state-level undergraduate institutions,” he said.

The chief minister had also informed that the government has also taken steps to create a State University. “We will soon be receiving the approval of the Governor of Meghalaya.”

In May, last year, the union education minister had agreed to exempt Meghalaya from conducting the CUET based on the request made by the chief minister.

Meghalaya PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak to review PHE mode of functioning

Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 10: Minister in charge of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Marcuise N Marak today said he would aggressively monitor the implementation of funds sanctioned by the central government for providing drinking water to the people of Meghalaya.

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After chairing his first meeting with the top officials of the department, Marak told reporters that they have apprised him of the position of the department and that he has decided to immediately review the functioning of the department on Saturday.

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The PHE minister said that the state has been getting funds from the Government of India, which is investing to provide drinking water facilities in the state while asserting that this needs to be implemented properly so that for the next 30 years the state will not have any problem.

“Therefore, I will monitor aggressively and I will personally inspect the projects wherever the projects are being constructed and I will make sure our Meghalaya state in terms of PHE department whatever money the central government is giving is implemented properly,” he assured.

On the issue of scarcity of water supply, Marak said, “I will try to find out what is the reason behind the scarcity. Of course, as you are aware most of the catchment areas are drying up. Maybe because of that also scarcity is there. Otherwise, if the department is having problems in bringing water to the people, if that is also there I will check and ensure it is implemented properly.”

He also assured to ensure proper implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission which is to provide functional water taps to every household in the state.