Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has written to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, urging him to exempt the state from conducting the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
In a letter dated March 7, the chief minister said, “A legislative assembly election has recently been held in the state of Meghalaya, the results of which have been declared last week. This has resulted in delay in the state board exams and in this regard the students of the state level undergraduate institutions are facing unprecedented challenges to attempt CUET.”
He said, “In the light of the above, and since most of the colleges in the state are affiliated to the North Eastern Hill University, I request your kind office to kindly exempt the state of Meghalaya from conducting CUET.”
Sangma further said that he is grateful that the National Testing Agency (NTA) as a premier autonomous and self-sustaining testing organization has introduced an entrance test (CUET) for admission/fellowship in higher educational institutions to assess the potential of candidates for admission. ) is conducting. Has always been a challenge.
“Last year we requested the Ministry of Education to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of CUET vide letter DO.CM/PER-UM/2022/48 dated Shillong dated 25th April 2022, which you have kindly acceded to in your letter agreed vide DO.No.65-4/2020-CU. dated May 11, 2022,” Sagama said.
The chief minister also informed that steps have been taken to set up a state university, for which the government will soon get the nod from the governor of Meghalaya.
Significantly, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya presided over the first cabinet meeting of the newly elected government in Meghalaya on Thursday.
Cabinet ministers were also given their respective portfolios by the Chief Minister.
Sangma has held the portfolios of Cabinet Affairs, Elections, Finance, Forest and Environment Department, Home (Political) Department, Information Technology and Communication Department, Mines and Geology Department, Personnel and AR Department, Planning Investment Promotion and Sustainable Development Department, Program Implementation and Evaluation Department, And no portfolio has been allocated to any other minister.
Preston Tynsong, Deputy CM was given the charge of Zilla Parishad Affairs Department, Home (Police) Department, Parliamentary Affairs Department, Public Works Department (R), Public Works Department (B).
Second Deputy CM Sniyabhlang Dhar was allotted the Department of Commerce and Industry, Department of Prisons and Correctional Services, Department of Transport and Department of Urban Affairs.
Meanwhile, Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, the lone woman in the state cabinet, was allotted the portfolios of Health and Family Welfare, Law, Information and Public Relations and Agriculture.
BJP minister Alexander Lalu Heck was given the portfolios of veterinary medicine, fisheries, printing and stationery, and secretariat administration, while UDP’s Paul Lyngdoh was given charge of the social welfare, tourism, arts and culture departments, while his party colleagues Kirmen Shayla was allocated Excise, Revenue. and Department of Legal Metrology.
Notably, Sangma’s NPP won 26 seats in the assembly elections and he became the chief minister for the second time in a row.
According to the data shared by the Election Commission of India on 2 March, Conrad Sangma won the South Tura constituency by a margin of 5,016 against Bernard N Marak of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP and the NPP were partners in the outgoing government, but contested the assembly elections. separately. Conrad Sangma took oath as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya for the second consecutive term on Tuesday.
Thomas A Sangma of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP)-led coalition government was on Thursday unanimously elected Speaker of the 11th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.