SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has strongly criticised the Meghalaya government over the continued allotment of examination centres for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) outside the state, calling the situation a result of “apathy” toward the welfare of students.
In a statement issued by the Union’s Education Cell, Secretary Pynkmenlang Sanmiet expressed deep concern over the recurring problem, stating that despite repeated appeals from the student body, thousands of students from Meghalaya continue to be assigned examination centres in distant states.
Sanmiet alleged that the issue can no longer be dismissed as a simple administrative lapse but reflects what he termed as “deliberate negligence” and a failure to prioritise the academic future of the state’s youth.
“Every year the Union raises this issue and sends letters to the government. Yet every year, thousands of students are forced to travel outside the state simply because the government refuses to prioritise their needs,” the statement said.
The KSU also criticised the government for allegedly focusing more on festivals and entertainment activities instead of strengthening academic infrastructure for students in the state.
According to the Union, the current situation places a heavy burden on students, many of whom come from financially weaker backgrounds and are compelled to incur significant travel and accommodation expenses in order to appear for the national-level examination.
The organisation further questioned whether the lack of adequate examination centres within Meghalaya is due to poor infrastructure or administrative failure within the Education Department.
Despite assurances in previous years, the KSU claimed that the authorities have remained “deaf and blind” to the repeated grievances raised by students and student bodies.
The Union has demanded that the state government urgently coordinate with the relevant authorities to ensure that adequate CUET examination centres are established within Meghalaya so that students can appear for the test without having to travel outside the state.
“We demand that the government rectify this issue immediately and ensure sufficient examination centres within Meghalaya, just as other states provide for their students,” Sanmiet added.
The statement comes amid recent changes in the state’s Education Department leadership, with Lahkmen Rymbui returning as Meghalaya’s Education Minister following a cabinet reshuffle in late 2025.
