Shillong, May 14: The College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Balalgre, a sister institute of Captain Williamson Sangma State University, is set to launch its Degree Course in Urban Planning for the academic session 2026-2027 following approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The approval will allow an intake of 30 students and is being viewed as a significant milestone for higher education and urban planning studies in Meghalaya.
According to a statement issued by Tura MDC, Bernard N Marak, signatories of the Agreed Text for Settlement (ATS) recently visited CWSSU at Jewelgre and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Balalgre to assess the progress of the institution.
The ATS, approved under Paragraph 6.2, had emphasized the need for the immediate operationalisation of the institution and had also raised concerns regarding alleged substandard work by the contractor with the concerned ministry.
The project was sanctioned in 2018 under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) 2 scheme with a budget allocation of Rs. 26 crore and has been monitored by the State Higher Education Council. However, the project reportedly faced delays over the years.
Despite the challenges, the academic session is expected to commence in 2026-2027, subject to approvals from the Council of Architecture(COA) and AICTE, which, according to the statement, have already received central approval.
Marak also urged the government to address the alleged poor quality of infrastructure work at the college, stating that an institution dedicated to architecture and design should reflect higher construction standards.
He alleged that the quality of infrastructure, including doors, cement paint and tiles, did not match the sanctioned project amount and warned that the ATS signatories would not tolerate substandard execution of the project.
