Assam Cabinet approves merger of Guwahati's Krishna Kanta Handique Sanskrit College with Nalbari university

The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday, November 10 approved the merger of Krishna Kanta Handique Government Sanskrit College in Guwahati with the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University in Nalbari, with the entire college set to shift to the university campus.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision was taken in the interest of students, citing low enrolment at the Guwahati-based institution.

Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Sarma said the college currently has only 65 students, while the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University in Nalbari has sufficient student strength to accommodate them.

"In Guwahati, we have a Sanskrit college, the Krishna Kanta Handique Sanskrit College. There are only 65 students there. However, at the Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit University in Nalbari, there are enough students. As such, we have decided to merge this Krishna Kanta Handique College with Bhaskar Varma University," the Chief Minister said.

Under the approved arrangement, the college will cease to function as a separate institution in Guwahati, and its entire establishment will be shifted to Nalbari.

Sarma clarified that the institution's students and teaching staff would be accommodated under the university following the merger. The existing students will be admitted to the university, while the college's professors will be absorbed as university professors.

"The students will be admitted, and the professors, who were earlier college professors, will become university professors. Since the students currently number only 65, we decided to merge them," he said.

The Chief Minister also said the government would name another institution after noted Assamese scholar Krishna Kanta Handique, indicating that the name would continue to be associated with an educational institution in the state.

The merger was among several decisions taken at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, which also approved funds for healthcare coverage, an increase in ex-gratia compensation for Samagra Shiksha staff and reimbursement of admission fee waivers to colleges.