[ Junroi Mamai ]
ITANAGAR, Dec 27: The upcoming government law college in Jote, which is expected to start its academic session from June-July 2019, is yet to get the go-ahead from the Bar Council of India (BCI), prompting the state’s higher & technical education (HTE) department to once again approach the council for its approval.
The college was denied approval by the BCI to start the academic session from the current year in view of the process to recruit teaching faculty for the institute remaining incomplete. However, the HTE department recently clarified that the process has been completed with 20 teaching and non-teaching staffs recruited through the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC).
“Only the recruitment for the post of the principal of the college has been delayed as the APPSC is yet to recommend a deserving candidate against the post. Even if we do not get someone for the post, an in-charge principal will be selected from among the 17 assistant professors, who will be taking care of the college in the initial phase,” informed a high-ranking official of the education department.
According to the department, the BCI had earlier directed it to provide a list of the total teaching staff, complete with their names. The department was unable to provide it following the initial delay in initiating the recruitment process for the posts of assistant professors as the state cabinet had back then decided to change the upper age limit for the post.
The department informed that it has since shared with the BCI the information regarding the total sanction order for various teaching and non-teaching posts, and that it expects a positive response from the council.
“Recruitment process of about 20 faculty members had been completed by the APPSC, while work on the college building is almost ready. The academic session for the undergraduate course got delayed because the BCI denied us approval. We will be writing to the BCI once again this month and urge them to reconsider the earlier decision and grant their approval for the early start of the institute,” informed Education Secretary Madhu Rani Teotia.
When asked if there was any move to rename the law college after former chief minister late Jarbom Gamlin – based on the state government’s announcement in 2015 – Teotia said “the department till now does not have any record regarding the matter.”
In 2015, the state government led by chief minister Nabam Tuki had resolved to immortalize the contributions of the state’s departed leaders by naming important public assets after them.
“If an announcement regarding naming the government law college after late Gamlin was made by the government, the decision has to be further ratified by the state cabinet to further the process. The decision to rename the institute rests with the state cabinet,” Teotia said.
The education secretary also informed that the construction of the government engineering college in Toru is currently underway in full swing, while the foundation stone for the engineering college in Lohit HQ Tezu, which was recently approved by the union HRD ministry, would be laid soon.
