XVIth Annual General Meeting of ACTA Cachar Zone held, new committee formed

way2barak, Dec.12: “As regards implementation of NEP 2020, ACTA is ready to do the needful commensurate with the resources and infrastructure available in the colleges of Assam,” said Himangshu Maral, President of Assam College Teacher’s Association (ACTA) participating in the Annual XVIth Annual General Meeting of ACTA Cachar Zone held in Cachar College, Silchar on 11 December.

Himangshu Maral further stated that the given the existing physical and human infrastructure in the provincialised colleges of Assam, it is almost impossible to implement all the facets as envisaged in NEP 2020. He said, “There are colleges which were provincialised with only 8 to 10 teachers. Implementing NEP in such colleges is a utopian proposition.” Another very pertinent issue which came up for discussion was the scrapping of New Pension Scheme (NPS) and restoration of Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

He further discussed various other problems faced by the college teachers. The colleges of Assam are facing huge financial crunch as the state govt has only given 59% of the money as against free admissions done in the year 2021-22. Moreover, till now, not a singe penny has been given to the colleges for admissions given free of cost in 2022-23. Maral said, “If such a state of affairs goes on, then very soon the provincialised colleges of the state will have to be shut.” He, however, added that both ACTA and ACPC (Assam College Principal’s Council) has appealed to the govt to sanction all pending money in this connection. The issue of delayed promotion and disbursal of arrear payment also came up for discussion.

Earlier during the day, the programme began with hoisting of the association’s flag by Cachar Zonal President, Chandan Paul Choudhury. The inaugural session began with the lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries. The session was presided over by Dr Kiriti Bhushan Dey, Principal i/c of Cachar College. Floral tributes were paid in the portrait of Dr Surat Basumatary, HoD of Education, Radhamadhab College, who died recently.

The inaugural session began with the welcome address delivered by Md. Samsuddin, President of ACTA Cachar College Unit. Others present in the dias were Chandan Paul Choudhury (President ACTA Cachar Zone), the Observer of the AGM Dr Rupdatta Roy (CEC Member of Karimganj- Hailakandi Zone), Hemanta Bora (Secretary of Cachar Zone), Sudarshan Gupta (CEC Member of Cachar Zone), YP Singh (Vice President of Cachar Zone), Swati Debroy (Asstt Secretary of Cachar Zone).

During the inaugural session, retired college teachers who were also office bearers of ACTA in the past were felicitated. The teachers who were accorded felicitation were Prof. Debashish Chakraborty. Dr Santosh Ranjan Chakraborty and Dr Dipankar Kar.

Finally, a new 7-member executive committee of Cachar Zone was formed for the year 2023. All the members were elected unopposed. They are: Chandan Paul Choudhury (President), Dr Shuvajit Chakraborty (Vice President), Hemanta Kumar Bora (Secretary), Dr Joyobrata Nath (Asstt Secretary), Rini Begum Laskar (Asst Secretary Female), Hamida Khatun (Treasurer) and Arundhati Dutta Choudhury (CEC Member).