Shillong, April 07: The President of the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress Mr. Timjim K. Momin has written to the Chief Minister Mr. Conrad K. Sangma uring him for urgent up-gradation of Tura Polytechnic and Inclusion of Science Stream in Mendipathar College for Balanced Regional Educational Development in Garo Hills.
In the letter the MPYC said that on behalf of the youth and student community of the Garo Hills region, take this opportunity to present this urgent up-gradation of Tura Polytechnic and Inclusion of Science Stream in Mendipathar College
The up-gradation and expansion of Tura Polytechnic by introducing Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and relevant Engineering departments; and the inclusion of a Science Stream in Mendipathar College in North Garo Hills.
These proposed interventions are not just matters of infrastructural development, but represent an intellectual and moral investment in the future of Meghalaya’s youth, especially from marginalized, rural, and economically disadvantaged areas.
As per the recently declared 2025 SSLC results, the Garo Hills region recorded a notable increase in the pass percentage. A total of 21,856 students passed from the region this year, demonstrating the strong academic potential and determination of our youth.
Unfortunately, the unavailability of adequate higher educational institutions—especially those offering science and technical streams—leaves a majority of these students with limited options for further study.
This underlines an urgent need to expand the academic infrastructure in Garo Hills. This upward trend re lects the growing academic potential and dedication of students from the region.
Need for Strengthening Tura Polytechnic – A Vision for Technical Self Reliance Established in 2003, Tura Polytechnic was envisioned as a key institution to deliver technical education to students in the Garo Hills and neighbouring regions. Despite its strategic importance and increasing demand over the years, the institution continues to operate with a limited range of courses.
At a time when technical education is becoming increasingly critical for self-reliance, industrial development, and youth employment, the absence of key departments such as Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Other relevant Engineering department has severely constrained the potential of the institution—and more importantly, the aspirations of its students.
In light of the rising SSLC pass percentage and a clear surge in student interest in technical ields, the need to equip Tura Polytechnic with more comprehensive course offerings becomes undeniable.
Technical education is not merely an academic path it is a direct pipeline to jobs, entrepreneurship, innovation, and regional development. The lack of local access forces hundreds of capable students to either migrate at great cost or abandon their ambitions altogether.
Upgrading Tura Polytechnic to include these core engineering streams would not only ensure parity with better-equipped institutions like Shillong and Jowai Polytechnics, but it would also create a skilled workforce that can contribute directly to Meghalaya’s developmentfrom infrastructure and electri ication to rural water supply and construction projects.
Strengthening Tura Polytechnic is not just an educational investment—it is a long-overdue step toward empowering the youth of Garo Hills and addressing the socioeconomic imbalance in our state. Students aspiring to pursue technical education in Shillong face a daunting journey of over 313 km, which takes more than 7 hours by road.
For families from the Garo Hills, this long distance is compounded by signi icant inancial burdens. Monthly expenses for accommodation, food, and transportation can be overwhelming for many families in the region, most of whom depend on agriculture or low-income occupations.
As a result, many talented students are either discouraged from pursuing higher education or compelled to make do with limited local options. The up-gradation of Tura Polytechnic would: i. ii. iii. iv. v.
Empower students with industry-relevant skills; Reduce dependency on Shillong and external cities; Generate local employment through institutional expansion; Contribute to Meghalaya’s broader vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat Promote entrepreneurship and innovation in rural engineering and technical sectors.
Inclusion of Science Stream in Mendipathar College – Bridging the Educational Divide Mendipathar College, established in 1971, has been a beacon of higher education for students in North Garo Hills for over ive decades.
Despite its long standing role, the college still lacks a Science stream, depriving many bright students of the opportunity to pursue foundational courses for careers in medicine, engineering, IT, agriculture, and scienti ic research.
Every year, a growing number of students from North Garo Hills express a strong interest in the Science stream, but due to its unavailability locally, they are left with very few options.
While some attempt to move to cities like Tura or Shillong, many are forced to give up entirely—not because of a lack of capability, but due to the economic burden on their families.
Even sending students to Tura, which is relatively closer, is inancially challenging for many households in this predominantly rural and economically underdeveloped district.
Parents, many of whom are subsistence farmers or daily wage earners, struggle to afford costs associated with transportation, hostel accommodation, and food expenses.
For these families, even a modest monthly expenditure becomes a signi icant hardship, often resulting in students staying back or opting for streams they are less passionate about. The absence of a Science stream in Mendipathar thus perpetuates educational inequality and curtails the ambitions of a generation.
Introducing Science education locally would not only reduce dropout rates but also unlock the academic and professional potential of North Garo Hills youth. It would also ease the inancial and emotional strain on parents who currently have to make painful choices between their children’s futures and their household survival.
Upgrading Mendipathar College to include a Science stream is not just an educational need—it is a moral and developmental necessity. The inclusion of Science education in Mendipathar College would.
Expand academic and career pathways for thousands of students; ii. iii. iv. v. Lower dropout rates due to inancial or logistical constraints; Reduce forced migration of rural students; Enhance the district’s intellectual capital and civic awareness; Uplift rural youth from socio-economic stagnation.
Key Justi ications and Strategic Outcomes The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress respectfully submits the following justi ications to support the proposed up-gradations: i. ii. iii.
Equity in Education: Ensuring academic parity with Shillong and Jowai, thus narrowing the urban-rural divide Local Empowerment: Building capacity for regional youth to study, train, and work locally. Economic Relief: Lessening the inancial strain on parents, many of whom are subsistence farmers or daily wage earners.
Creating a model for decentralized and inclusive growth. Youth-Driven Innovation: Enabling a new generation of thinkers, innovators, and problem-solvers from rural Meghalaya. In view of the above, aApprove the up-gradation of Tura Polytechnic with allocation of funds, recruitment of technical staff, and establishment of new engineering departments.
Sanction the introduction of Science stream at Mendipathar College through academic restructuring and necessary inancial support; Consider these actions as non-political developmental necessities, rooted in constitutional values of equality, dignity, and opportunity.
These reforms align with both the National Education Policy 2020 and the Government of Meghalaya’s vision for a skilled, educated, and empowered youth population.
The proposed up-gradations are not merely academic— they are transformative and generational in nature. Let us come together beyond political lines, united by a shared responsibility to build a Meghalaya where no student is left behind due to geography or economic hardship. Therefore, in the spirit of development, inclusivity, and justice.
MPYC president appeal to your good conscience and kind of ice to allocate the necessary resources, initiate detailed project planning, and engage relevant departments and stakeholders to implement the up-gradation of Tura Polytechnic and Mendipathar College without further delay, the letter was sign by Mr. Timjim K. Momin President Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress Tura, Meghalaya.
