Sikkim University is fully equipped to conduct programmes;VC

Gangtok, Sep 10 (UNI) Vice Chancellor Mahendra P Lama today asserted that Sikkim University is 'fully geared' to conduct the academic programmes it had initiated for Government colleges.

Responding to the charges levelled by the state HRD department that Sikkim University is not fully equipped to start the courses in affiliated colleges, hence the colleges should be re-affiliated to North Bengal University (NBU), he said we never expressed like that.

In fact,our preparations dates back to July 2007 with an objective to introduce the first undergraduate (college) level programmes in Sikkim, the VC informed.

Four state government colleges and five private educational institutions in the state had automatically come under the Sikkim University after it was notified by the Centre last year, easing out the state educational institutions out of NBU.

This transition of affiliation has seen a series of confusion ever since the new academic session began from July second week this year.

The state HRD department had recently approached the West Bengal government to re-affiliate colleges in Sikkim back to NBU as it felt that Sikkim University was presently incompetent to start its programmes in these colleges.

Consent from the West Bengal government came earlier this week.But the uproar among the students in Sikkim forced the government to appeal West Bengal government to allow the colleges to continue under Sikkim University for the time being.

UNI BG RH RD 1440