Guwahati: The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education has approved the establishment of a full-fledged Department of Assamese at Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday wrote on X, “It is heartening to note that the @EduMinOfIndia has approved establishment of a full-fledged department of Assamese at Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan. Four posts have been recommended by @ugc_india for imparting effective Assamese education.”
“We are committed to take our Classical Language far and wide and promote its usage,” CM Sarma said.
It is heartening to note that the @EduMinOfIndia has approved establishment of a full fledged Department of Assamese at Visva Bharati University in Shantiniketan.
Four posts have been recommended by @ugc_india for imparting effective Assamese education.
We are committed to… pic.twitter.com/9BufAyv5CD
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 11, 2025
This move is expected to significantly boost the promotion of the Assamese language, which achieved classical language status last year.
In a letter issued to the varsity registrar by the undersecretary of the Education Ministry, Jennifer Tirkey, on Jan 8, she wrote, “Proposal of Visva-Bharati for establishment of full-fledged department of Assamese with creation of six teaching and eight non-teaching positions.”
The UGC expert committee recommended posts for one associate professor and three assistant professors at the department to be established, the letter further added.
The university submitted its proposal to the UGC in March last year, seeking the establishment of a comprehensive Assamese department with six teaching and six non-teaching posts.
Established in 1979 with a single professor, the Assamese Department is set to celebrate its golden jubilee in four years.
