NE’s first Ramakrishna Mission College inaugurated at Sohra
Shillong, Nov 19: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reiterated his government’s priority to reform education sector, making it clear that development of roads and buildings hold little value unless people are equally developed.
The Chief Minister was addressing the inaugural function of Ramakrishna Mission College at Sohra, marking establishment of the first Ramakrishna Mission College in the North East.
Initially, the college launch Arts and Science streams with an aim to deliver accessible, affordable and value-based higher education to the youth of Sohra region.
Meanwhile, the chief minister pointed out that even though the state spends 15% of its annual budget-amounting to Rs 3,600 crore on education, structural complexities have accumulated over decades in the state’s education system.
Informing that the government has begun the process of rationalising schools, he said work is on to create a dedicated structure to support ad-hoc and SSA teachers to bring greater consistency and stability.
Urging teachers, managing committees and all stakeholders to keep the student at the centre of every decision, he stressed that the future of education in Meghalaya depends on collective commitment to doing what is truly best for the child.
The Chief Minister also assured Ramakrishna Mission of full government support, announcing that electricity connections will be provided to all schools – government, private, deficit and ad-hoc, on a mission mode, and that road connectivity challenges faced by institutions will be addressed in a phased manner.
He encouraged students to uphold values of hard work, gratitude, discipline and purpose, describing these as essential foundations of responsible citizenship and as qualities central to the teachings of Swami Vivekananda and exemplified in Ramakrishna Mission institutions.
In his address, Swami Achyuteshananda termed the inauguration the first Ramakrishna Mission College as a historic moment for North-East.
He commended the Meghalaya Government for its commitment to education in rural and hilly regions and expressed confidence that the new college will significantly reduce educational distance, economic burdens and dropout rates.
He added that the college will not only impart academic knowledge but will also nurture responsible citizens grounded in values of service, strength and simplicity.
Referring to Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of “man-making education,” he affirmed that the Mission intends to expand its contributions to Meghalaya through academic collaborations, teacher capacity-building initiatives and programmes aligned with the aspirations of the region’s youth.
Following the speeches, students from various Ramakrishna Mission educational institutions across Meghalaya presented an impressive Play Day Programme.
The display included coordinated physical drills, yoga demonstrations, rhythmic exercises and traditional formations that highlighted discipline, teamwork and physical fitness.
The event, attended by senior monks of the Ramakrishna Mission including Swami Achyuteshananda, Trustee of Ramakrishna Math & Mission, Belur Math, Swami Anuragananda, public representatives – Balajied Kupar Synrem, MLA (Shella), Gavin Miguel Mylliem, MLA (Sohra) and members of the community, marks a significant milestone in the expansion of higher education in the hill regions of the state.
