Shillong, April 10 : Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today inaugurated the Indoor Sports Hall, renovated amenities of St Mary’s College, and equipment procured under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA 2.0). The programme was attended by Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and MLA of 16-East Shillong Constituency M Ampareen Lyngdoh, along with officials from the Education Department.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that the dedication and quality of education provided by different denominations and missions continue to inspire the government. He stated that the government works closely with such institutions to serve the people of the state and informed that the Government of Meghalaya extends support amounting to about ₹1200 crore annually. “I am happy to see that the investments by the government through these organizations are yielding great results,” he said, while commending the college for providing quality higher education and promoting holistic development.
Highlighting the challenges in the education sector, he said that education is complex with issues at multiple levels. “We had to dissect the education sector to identify the problems and resolve them, and in all of that we have forgotten the students for whom education is meant. When we started to change the mindset and focus on the student, things started to change,” he said, urging all stakeholders to keep students at the core of every decision.
He reiterated that education is crucial for the progress of the state and noted that reforms undertaken by the government will yield results in the years to come. “We are firm to bring in reformative and transformative changes in this sector, and as we move forward there will be challenges but we are determined,” he added.
RUSA 2.0 (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Education (2017–2020) aimed at improving access, equity, and quality in state higher education. The programme supports infrastructure development, institutional reforms, and capacity building, particularly in underserved and aspirational districts. It also focuses on enhancing teaching-learning processes through ICT integration and faculty training.
