Minutes of the General Body Meeting Held on 4th April 2025 in the Conference Room, Synod College, Shillong

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The General Body Meeting of North East India Education Society (NEIES) was held in the Conference Room, Synod College, Shillong on 4th April 2025 at 2:00 PM.

The meeting was chaired by the President of NEIES, Prof. S.M. Sungoh. who welcomed all the members of NEIES to the meeting. The Chairperson also expressed her appreciation and thanked the Organizing Committee for the smooth conduct of the two-day programme with so much of enthusiasm and commitment. She thanked the Convener and the members of the Organising Committee who were working very hard to make the programme a sound success. She requested the General Secretary, (GS) NEIES, Prof C. Nongbri to put across the agenda items.

Prof C. Nongbri, also joined the President in welcoming all the members who have spared their valuable time and attended the meeting. She thanked the Patrons – Dr R. M. Lyngdoh and Prof S.M.Sungoh and Dr E. B. Majaw, the Convener Dr B.B Sumer, the Organising Secretary, and the whole team of the Organising Committee and expressed her great satisfaction of the smooth conduct of the Two-Day Conference-cum-National Seminar. She informed that she received apologies from the Dr Prof. Hangsing, Vice President, Prof Y.Bhutia, the Joint Secretary, Prof N. Roy, E.C. Member, NEIES who were already having preoccupations and Prof T. Lhungdim who could not attend due to health issues. Prof Nikme Momin, Vice President, Prof Kaberi Saha, due to sudden unforeseen health issues of family members. She then read the minutes.

1. CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES OF THE LAST GENERAL BODY MEETING.

Prof C. Nongbri, the General Secretary of NEIES, read out the Minutes of the last General Body meeting held at Gauhati University in 2024 and also explained the action taken on matters arising out of it. She reiterated the efforts taken by the Executive members and thanked them particularly Prof H.Malsawmi and the team from Mizoram University who had taken the initiatives to enrol members from Mizoram.The Minutes of the last GBM was confirmed after thorough discussion.

2. GENERAL SECRETARY REPORT

The General Secretary read the 29th Annual Report of NEIES. She informed the members that the Society does not have any income and appealed to all the members to contribute towards the Development fee for sustenance of the activities of the Society.

The members reminded that the last General Body meeting last year had taken a very important decision of raising fund by giving responsibilities to members in different universities in different States to collect Development fees amounting to Rs.500/- to be paid and to be sent to the Treasurer, NEIES.

The members discussed threadbare on the financial constraints of the Society and resolved to request the Coordinators to remind all members in their respective states of the resolution on Development Fee where every member is to contribute to the Development Fee of Rs 500/- every year and to enable the members to pay for enhancing the fund of the Society. The GS informed that the QR Code for the NEIES Accounts was created by the Treasurer, Prof. I. Syiem, and is also placed in the website for prompt and smooth payment of fees by the members of NEIES particularly the Development Fee and the Membership Fee. But members are also to intimate to the Treasurer after the payment.

Network of Coordinators from different states: The suggestion to form a network with a representation of young members from the different states of North East India to work and reach out to all the members of NEIES in their respective states was discussed at length.

NEIES Whatsapp group

The following members were requested to take up the responsibility of coordinating in their respective States. Their main functions are to form the Whatsapp group and to update the email addresses of all members in their States. These coordinators will also be responsible for generating fund state wise, and coordinating for all matters including holding seminars/webinars:

  1. Prof. Daisy Borah Talukdar for Upper Assam and Dr Purabi Baishyas for Lower Assam
  2. Prof. Elizabeth Hangsing and she can opt anyone for Arunachal Pradesh
  3. Prof. Buno Liegise & Dr Limala for Nagaland
  4. Prof. H Malsawmi and Prof Lynda for Mizoram
  5. Prof Yodida Bhutia and she can opt anyone for Sikkim
  6. Dr Premlata Maismam for Manipur
  7. Dr R.Rymbai and Dr E.B.Myrthong for Meghalaya and
  8. Name to be finalised on consultation for Tripura.

The above members will co-opt the members from the Colleges in their respective States who will also help the Coordinators in updating the detailed addresses of the members. The GS also informed that Dr. R. Rymbai, Joint Secretary of NEIES had created the Google Form for updating the detailed address of the member and is also placed in the website. The House appreciated and thanked her for her initiative. The House approved the Report presented by the General Secretary and appreciated her efforts to take the work of the Society forward.

3. TREASURER’S REPORT

The Audited Statement of Accounts was presented by Prof. I. Syiem, the Treasurer of NEIES who had circulated the statement well ahead in the meeting. The members of NEIES highly appreciated Prof. Syiem for the Audited Statement and for her hard work to maintain and to keep safe the account and applauded her effort to raise the fund to the present position.

The Treasurer also reported that the Society is operating three Savings Accounts- (i) in SBI, NEHU Branch(ii) in Punjab National Bank, Police Bazar, Shillong Branch and (iii) in Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank, Laitumkhrah and only the first one is operational as no deposit could be made in the other two banks. She also informed that the Fixed Deposit is also in Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank, Laitumkhrah. The Treasurer also explained that she had problems to do KYC every time and suggested that only the Bank Accounts in SBI, NEHU Branch may be retained. The GS explained that the Savings Accounts in Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank, Laitumkhrah had to be opened since the Bank authorities informed that the interest can be transferred only to the Savings Bank Accounts and from the FD. She also informed that the Punjab National Bank, Police Bazar, Shillong Branch was opened when the Society was first established. The matter was discussed at length and it was resolved to authorize the Treasurer to explore possibilities and do the needful.

She also informed the House that there is another Accounts of NEIES in SBI Accounts with different name. The GS explained that Savings Accounts was opened by the Organising Committee of the Annual NEIES Conference that was held in the Department of Education, NEHU the previous years. It was discussed and resolved to close the same and transfer whatever amount to NEIES Savings Accounts.

4. PUBLICATION:

I) Publication of Proceedings; The GS reminded the members that it was the decision at the General Body meeting at Gauhati University,Guwahati that publication of the Proceedings will be the responsibility of the Organizing Committee. Dr Purabi Baishyas explained the status of the e-Proceeding of the Society to be published but with the support of the Office from Headquarters.She also informed that the Organising Committee will also publish a Book but will select only good papers.

II) Publication of e-Journal: Publication of e-journal will have to be taken up since the recent notification from UGC has withdrawn the E-CARE list as mandatory. The sub- committee will be formed to take up the responsibility. The same will be discussed in the next EC meeting.

III) The Publication of a Book “Education of North East: Status and Perspective” : The President expressed that this publication has been taken too long. She suggested that it should be done once and for all. The GS informed that there was a suggested framework that had been worked out long ago. The President suggested that NEP 2020 should be added to the Framework and the GS is instructed to send the suggested framework in the Group to be discussed in the next EC meeting. The Office at the Headquarters will take initiatives to identify the authors in coordination with the Coordinators of the States in the region.

5. OFFICIAL RESOLUTIONS

Proposal for Investment in the Mutual Funds instead of Fixed deposit from Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank was discussed at length. Members felt that it is more safe to keep the Fixed deposit in the Bank since the Mutual Funds will depend on the Market rate. If the market is down then the interest will decrease and vice versa. So, the resolution was rejected instead it was resolved to enhance the amount of Fixed Deposit Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank. However, the Treasurer informed that it was just renewed recently. The members authorized the Treasurer to do the needful as advised by the Bank authority.

6. NEXT CONFERENCE

The GS reported the General Body meeting that she received a Proposal for hosting the 30th NEIES Annual Conference from the Head, Department of Education, Assam Don Bosco University, Tapesia Gardens, Kamarkuchi, Sonapur – 782 402, Assam. She read out the letter. Members are very pleased and approved with appreciation. However, the members felt that the date suggested (i.e. December 2025) for the Conference was found not feasible and it was resolved to intimate to them if the date can be changed and postponed to February 2026.

7. ELECTION OF NEW MEMBERS

The President nominated Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh, Head Department of Political Science. Synod College as the Returning Officer for the Election. He nominated Dr E.B. Majaw as the Asstt. Returning Officer. Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh announced in the morning of 4th April 2025 that as per the Constitution, the nomination papers should be submitted to him before noon as the Election will be held in the afternoon. He announced the positions for the election which are as follows:

  1. President- Head Quarters (1)
  2. Vice President – Head Quarters (1), Outside Head Quarters (3)
  3. General Secretary – Head Quarters (1)
  4. Joint Secretary – Head Quarters (1) Outside Head Quarters (3)
  5. Organizing Secretary – Head Quarters (1)
  6. Treasurer- Head Quarters (1)
  7. Executive members (15)
    • a. Meghalaya (8)
    • b. Outside of Meghalaya (7)

Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh presided over and conducted the election with Dr E.B.Majaw, Asstt. Returning Officer. He announced that he had received no nomination papers and that the election will be conducted on consensus and if there are more than one name for the same post, then counting will be done by raising their hands. He called out the Posts starting from the President onwards. The process was done professionally and when the process was completed, Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh requested Dr Rihunlang Rymbai to announce the names and designations of the Newly Elected Office Bearers and EC members. Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh congratulated the Newly Elected Office Bearers and EC members and appreciated that it was one of the most peaceful elections. Dr Rihunlang Rymbai read out the newly elected EC members as follows:

  1. PRESIDENT- Prof. S.M. Sungoh, NEHU, Shillong
  2. VICE PRESIDENT
    • (i) Dr. V. Kharmawphlang, Shillong.
    • (ii) Prof Mukut Hazarika, Dibrugarh University
    • (iii) Prof.Gayatree Goswamee, Guwahati
    • (iv) Prof. Elizabeth Hangsing, Rajiv Gandhi University
  3. GENERAL SECRETARY-Prof. C. Nongbri, Shillong
  4. TREASURER- Prof. I. Syiem, NEHU, Shillong
  5. JOINT SECRETARY-
    • (i) Dr. Rihunlang Rymbai, NEHU, Shillong
    • (ii) Prof. Daisy Bora Talukdar, Dibrugarh University
    • (Iii) Prof. Y. Bhutia, Sikkim University, Sikkim
    • (Iv) Dr Utpal Kalita, R.G Baruah College, Assam
  6. ORGANIZING SECRETARY- Dr. Winnie Shylla, St. Mary’s College Shillong
  7. EXECUTIVE MEMBERS-
    • (a) MEGHALAYA
      • (i) Dr. Hiramon Diengdoh, Shillong College, Shillong
      • (ii) Peter Lyngdoh, Kiang Nangbah College
    • (b) OUTSIDE MEGHALAYA
      • (i) Prof Buno Liegise, Nagaland University
      • (ii) Dr Purabi Baishyas , Gauhati University

The House resolved to give the responsibility to the newly elected body to co-opt the remaining members for the EC and choose members that can actively participate and represent their States.

The General Secretary expressed her appreciation and thanks to Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh, the Returning Officer and Dr E.B. Majaw, Asstt. Returning Officer for conducting the Election professionally. She also thanked the Convener, the Organising Secretary and Asstt. Organising Secretary, the Principal, Vice Principal, the IQAC Coordinator, all Faculty members from all Departments particularly those from Education who were members of the Organising Committee for their kind hospitality and for the well organised programme. She placed on record her sincere gratitude to the Organising Committee and different committees who worked so hard, to make the programme memorable. She also expressed her thanks to all Executive Committee members of NEIES who in spite of their busy schedule, supported the Organising Committee wholeheartedly in the Two- Day Conference- cum- National Seminar.

The meeting ended with vote of thanks from the Chairperson and President of NEIES, Prof. S. M. Sungoh. She thanked Dr Charles Rueben Lyngdoh, the Returning Officer and Dr E.B. Majaw, Asstt. Returning Officer for conducting the Election smoothly and with sincerity and seriousness. She also thanked all the members for the unanimity in electing the Office Bearers and the Executive Committee members. In her concluding words, she thanked all members-the Convener, the Organising Secretary and the whole Organising Committee for the wonderful Programme with special mention for members outside Meghalaya for their active participation and support in the Two -Day programme and for actively participated in the meeting. She also thanked the General Secretary for the vote of thanks.

Prof S. M. Sungoh
President, NEIES.

Prof C.Nongbri
General Secretary, NEIES.