Cotton College, Cotton State University To Merge
May 30, 2017 by Yasar Hanif Leave a Comment
Assam's historic Cotton College and the Cotton College State University are all set to merge to transform into a new entity as the Cotton University from June 1, 2018. The merger will lead the new institution to gain eminence as a centre of excellence. The merger was approved through a Bill passed by the State Legislative Assembly in the last Budget session.
Announcing this, State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Cotton University Act, 2017, will ensure the Cotton College and Cotton College State University (CCSU) come under one banner and that the properties and human resources of the two also come together, according to local media reports.
"When people question me about meddling with the glorious history of Cotton College through this merger, I reply that it is just a natural course for an institution to grow from on level to another," the minister was quoted as saying in the local media, addressing the first convocation of the Cotton College State University.
"An institution like the Cotton College cannot be a prisoner of history, rather, the glorious past must inspire us to broaden the horizon," the minister said, adding that the university would have adequate financial support and staff strength of 425, much more than that in the existing universities, according to the reports.
Vice Chancellor of the CCSU Dhruba Jyoti Saikia said that combining the resources of the two institutions would lead to a university which would make its mark globally. "The efforts now must be directed towards nurturing it as a centre of excellence in all fields, and help in building a vibrant academic environment of learning and research with a transparent and accountable administration."
The reports said that former chairperson of the University Grants Commission Professor Ved Prakash asked the educational institutions to adopt an inclusive approach both in terms of curriculum and manpower. "The institutions, which care for equity and inclusiveness, can only excel in all fields. It is a matter of introspection for the academic institutions whether they have all segments of people as their faculties and also teaching staff," he said