Guwahati, July 15: The All BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) Venture Educational Institutions Coordination Committee has issued a strong ultimatum to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) administration, demanding the provincialization of all 712 venture educational institutions—including primary, upper primary, high, and senior secondary schools—before August 15, warning of political consequences if their demands are not met.
The warning comes days after the BTC government’s July 10 announcement to provincialize 16 more venture colleges in the BTR, taking the total number of provincialized colleges to 26. While welcoming this move, the Committee accused the government of neglecting hundreds of non-college institutions that have served the region for decades.
Addressing a press conference held at the Kokrajhar Press Club, Committee chief convenor Jagat Ray acknowledged the step taken toward college-level institutions but criticized the government for what he called “selective and biased” action. He pointed out that 450 lower primary schools, 150 upper primary schools, 96 high schools, and 16 senior secondary schools have been left out, despite their long-standing contributions to grassroots education in the BTR.
Ray emphasized that Clause 6.3 of the BTR Accord explicitly promises the provincialization of all venture institutions—not just colleges. He said previous commitments to include schools in subsequent phases of provincialization have been ignored.
“The government’s current approach is deeply unfair to thousands of teachers and staff who have dedicated their lives to educating the region’s children, often under challenging conditions. The focus on colleges alone undermines the very spirit of Clause 6.3,” Ray said.
Committee co-convenor Tapan Bhowmik echoed the concerns, accusing the BTC government of partial implementation of the Accord and warning of “clear political consequences” in the coming Council and Assembly elections if the demands are not met.
Indrajit Basumatary, president of the Senior Secondary Venture Schools Association, also backed the demand and said institutions that have operated for 25 to 40 years without government support deserve immediate inclusion under the provincialization framework.
The committee made it clear that August 15 is the final deadline. Failure to act by then will push teachers’ bodies to mobilize politically against the ruling leadership.
Also present at the press conference were Amal Basumatary, secretary of the All BTR Venture High School Teachers’ Association; Tilak Dipraj Ray, vice president of the Primary Teachers’ Association; and other key representatives from across the education sector.
