Meghalaya minister flags infrastructure hurdles in Northeast higher education push

Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui has called on the Centre to adopt a more flexible approach in implementing higher education schemes in the Northeast, citing the region's difficult terrain and infrastructure challenges that often slow down project execution.

Addressing the inaugural session of a regional workshop on the implementation of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) for northeastern states on Wednesday, Rymbui said project reviews and fund-release mechanisms should take into account the unique realities of the region.

The workshop, organised by the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Meghalaya's State Higher Education Council and State Project Directorate, brought together officials from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

Highlighting the importance of education in national development, Rymbui said Meghalaya remains committed to strengthening its higher education sector in line with India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

"Education continues to be one of the highest priorities of the state government, and we must strengthen our higher education institutions to realise the vision of a developed India by 2047," he said.

While acknowledging the opportunities presented by the National Education Policy, the minister noted that northeastern states continue to face obstacles in infrastructure development, project implementation and resource mobilisation.

He said geographical conditions remain a major challenge for educational projects across the region.

"Even when land is available, the terrain and natural conditions significantly affect infrastructure development. Difficult topography, limited accessibility, connectivity constraints and design challenges often lead to delays in project execution despite the commitment of beneficiary institutions and state governments," Rymbui said.

Drawing from Meghalaya's experience, he urged the Ministry of Education to maintain a pragmatic approach towards project implementation and funding.

"I appeal to the Ministry of Education to continue taking a flexible approach in project implementation and fund-release mechanisms, while recognising the unique realities and challenges of the region," he said.

Rymbui stressed that the success of higher education initiatives depends on the active involvement of institutions, communities, local bodies and government departments. He added that Meghalaya is working to expand access to education through new institutions while also upgrading existing colleges and universities.

The workshop featured discussions on financial management systems, project monitoring, fund utilisation and ways to accelerate pending projects under RUSA and PM-USHA across the Northeast.

Officials from the Ministry of Education said the exercise aims to strengthen monitoring mechanisms, build institutional capacity and provide greater support to states implementing centrally sponsored higher education programmes.

A ministry team is also scheduled to undertake a three-day visit to Meghalaya to assess the progress and outcomes of projects being implemented under RUSA and PM-USHA.