The opening of Captain Williamson Sangma State institution, Meghalaya’s first state-owned institution, was a momentous event. Speaker Thomas A. Sangma, Deputy Chief Minister Snaiwbhalang Dhar, Education Minister Rakkam Sangma, Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal, and other dignitaries were present when Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma officially opened the institution. The university is a major step in the direction of enhancing higher education in the state and is named after Captain Williamson A. Sangma, the first Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
After development was approved in June 2018 at a cost of Rs 16.96 crore, the infrastructure was officially opened in January 2023. Originally intended to be a technological university in 2011, it changed its name in 2022 to encompass both technical and non-technical colleges. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma referred to it as a “red letter day,” stating that the university’s founding meets a long-standing demand. After more than 50 years of Meghalaya’s existence, he underlined the significance of the state owning its own institution.
The university will open a campus in Shillong to broaden its reach and help students from the Khasi and Jaintia Hills areas by offering administrative support and making the college more accessible. The benefits of colleges joining the state university were also emphasized by the chief minister. Colleges submitted affiliation applications during the inaugural event, and the Chief Minister discussed concerns facing Meghalaya’s education system, such as enrollment problems, academic performance, and pay burdens. He vowed the government’s dedication to high-quality education, responsibility, and effective administration.
