Assam: Education dept forms committee to strengthen rules in hostels

Assam: The Higher Education Department formed a five-member committee on Saturday to recommend steps for enhancing the discipline, rules, and regulations in hostel of educational institutions in the state, per the directions of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The committee was established to make recommendations for measures to strengthen the discipline, rules, and regulations in the hostel, particularly to enforce in and out times from hostels, outright bans on student alcohol consumption, bans on former-guests staying longer than allowed, and promotion of a healthy communal environment within the hostel.

The committee has been instructed to deliver the comprehensive report within three months, according a notice dated June 1, 2023.

The formation of the committee comes two days after CM Sarma asked the Education department for instituting a high-level enquiry in view of the tragic road accident in Jalukbari which killed seven students of Assam Engineering College.

To prevent recurrence of any incident which is potentially life threatening to the student community, the Chief Minister asked the Education department to constitute committee to strengthen discipline, rules and regulations in hostels of education institutions. The committee will also look into strict enforcement of, in and out time of hostels, complete prohibition of alcohol etc. in hostel campuses and hostels and prohibition of extended stay of ex-boarders of hostels. The committee will also recommend ways for the promotion of healthy community life within the hostels.