Shillong, Oct 31: Marking a major milestone in Meghalaya’s higher and technical education sector, the academic session of Shillong Government College of Engineering on Friday kicked off at the college campus in Mawlai, Shillong.
Inaugurating the session, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma termed the day as “truly historic” for Meghalaya as years from now, people would look back at this as the day the state’s first government Engineering College began.
Asserting that “starting late does not mean we will be left behind”, the Chief Minister emphasised that technology can help Meghalaya leapfrog in development, just as India did in the banking sector through innovations like UPI and Aadhaar.
Referring to a young Khasi engineer from Shillong, who developed a cutting-edge gaming software, he said, “This is happening right here in Shillong.
Senior officials from gaming giant Nvidia had already visited the city to explore partnerships and expansion, he said.
He also announced that training for 50 youth has already begun under this initiative, with plans to expand to 200-300 more. He said such opportunities will open new frontiers for Meghalaya’s youth in the field of artificial intelligence, computing and engineering.
The Chief Minister also shared that the second phase of the Shillong IT Park will be inaugurated by December, featuring around 3,000 seats and that a company from the UK has already expressed interest in starting operations even before its official launch.
Highlighting Meghalaya’s growing presence in the tech space, Sangma announced that the National Artificial Intelligence Conference for the Eastern Region will be held in Shillong on December 3-4, 2025, marking a major milestone for the state.
He then addressed the long-pending issue of student scholarships, revealing that Meghalaya will now release funds in advance, without waiting for the Government of India’s disbursal.
He informed that the Chief Minister’s Scholarship Scheme will be released before Christmas and the Centrally Sponsored Scholarship will be released even before it is disbursed by the Government of India.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to investing in human capital, the Chief Minister said, “Yes, we need roads and buildings, but ultimately, it is the quality of our people that determines the strength of our state.”
He also shared that the Shillong Medical College is ready for inauguration and is awaiting confirmation from either the Prime Minister or Home Minister for the launch within the next few weeks.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, in his address, congratulated the principal, faculty, and the first batch of 50 students who have joined the college. He commended the government’s consistent efforts to improve education in Meghalaya and encouraged faculty and students to strive toward making the college one of the finest in India.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, expressed happiness at witnessing the rapid expansion of higher and technical education in Meghalaya.
He noted that prior to 2018, the state had only five government colleges, but in the last seven years, several new institutions — including those in Mawkyrwat, Rongjeng, Patharkhmah, and now Shillong — have been established under the leadership of the Chief Minister.
Rymbui added that over 650 posts have been sanctioned for various colleges and that student scholarships have grown significantly, from 5,000–6,000 recipients before 2018 to around 45,000 today.
During the programme, the Chief Minister also unveiled a plaque commemorating the inauguration of the first academic session and also unveiled the foundation stone for the construction of a new RCC building at Shillong Polytechnic.
The project includes workshops, laboratories, an examination centre, a smart classroom, and teachers’ rooms, funded by the North Eastern Council under the Ministry of DoNER, Government of India.
