The General Body Meeting of North East India Education Society (NEIES) was held in the Department of Education, Gauhati University, Guwahati on 5th April 2024 at 3:00 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 well planned minute to minute details during the two-day conference and thanked them for their hospitality. Further, she reminded the organizing Committee of the inaugural speech of the Vice Chancellor, the Chief Guest who emphasised upon the needs to bring out the resolutions and requested the Organising Committee to contemplate on the outcomes of the two-day deliberation of panel discussions and papers presentation and to bring out the resolutions with regards to implementation of NEP 2020. She then called upon Prof. Dulumoni Goswami the Head, Department of Education, Gauhati University, who is the Joint Secretary, NEIES and Conference Director, to share his thoughts and experiences on the Two-Days NEIES Conference cum Seminar. Prof Goswami expressed his happiness to have completed the programme successfully in spite of the problems due to health issue and informed the House that the credit for the success of the Programme goes to his Colleagues, the members of the Organising Committee who were working very hard leaving no stone unturned to make the programme a 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 Conference Director, Prof Goswami and the Organising Secretary, Dr Purabi Baishya 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 V.Kharmawphlang, the Vice President, NEIES who could not attend due to health issues. Prof Buno Liegise, Prof Buno Zetsuvi informed that due to NAAC Peer Team Visit they will not be able to come but promised to send their scholars and Prof Elizabeth Hangsing and Prof Lhungdim who were already having preoccupations.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 NEHU in 2022 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 Buno Liegese from Nagaland University and Prof Elizabeth Hangsing from Rajiv Gandhi University who had taken the initiatives to enrol members and collect the Development fee and contributed towards the fund raising of the Society. The Minutes of the last GBM was confirmed after thorough discussion.
2. GENERAL SECRETARY REPORT: The General Secretary read the 28th Annual Report of NEIES. She informed the members about the long process of the the Registration of NEIES as a Society but which had progressing well. 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 House approved the Report presented by the General Secretary and appreciated her efforts to take the work of the Society forward.
The members discussed threadbare on the financial constraints of the Society and resolved to remind all members of the resolution on Development Fee where every member is to contribute to the Development Fee of Rs 500/- every year. To ease the members towards contribution for raising the fund of the Society, the following were suggested by members.
The members discussed threadbare on the financial constraints of the Society and resolved to remind all members of the resolution on Development Fee where every member is to contribute to the Development Fee of Rs 500/- every year. To ease the members towards contribution for raising the fund of the Society, the following were suggested by members.
i) Creation of QR Code: To make efficient and smooth payment for fund raising of the NEIES particularly the Development Fee and the Membership Fee, it was resolved to create the QR Code for the NEIES Account. The Treasurer, Prof. I. Syiem, is requested to apply for the QR Code from the bank against the Account Number of NEIES. The members of NEIES may make the payment through the QR code and intimate the Treasurer about the payment.
Prof Nongbri also reiterated her inability to have the contact numbers and email addresses of the members for quick communication. She informed that since she has retired from NEHU, she cannot operate the NEIES Account which was opened by the then Joint Secretary, Prof B.B.Kharbirymbai and she has operated through her personal email. The members discussed the matters seriously and took note of the challenges.
ii) Using Google Forms for details of members: Suggestions for updating the detailed address of the member is emphasised. It was decided that the Google form will be used for gathering the contact details and addresses of the NEIES members. Dr. R. Rymbai, Joint Secretary of NEIES offered to take the initiative of creating the Google Form and to send to all members for updating the list of membership. The same will be disseminated to the coordinators of the respective states so the same may be filled by members and updated.
iii) Changing of the NEIES email and Password: It was resolved to change the email address of NEIES so that there will be smooth communication to and from the office of NEIES and the members. The password will also be changed. The General Secretary may take the help of the young members who are well-versed on the matter and do the needful.
iv) Updating NEIES website: Members also mentioned that the website is not updated for quite a long time. It was felt that the same should be updated at the earliest. Prof Nongbri informed the House that Prof. B. B. Kharbirymbai is responsible for the update of NEIES website. Since she is not available in the meeting, it was resolved that alternative arrangement may be made for the update of the NEIES website.
v) 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 approved.
3. TREASURER’S REPORT
The Audited Statement of Accounts was presented by Prof. I. Syiem, the Treasurer of NEIES who had circulated 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 keep safe the account and applauded her effort to raise the fund to the present position.
4. PUBLICATION
(a) Proceedings: It was highlighted that it was the resolution of the General Body meeting that the proceedings will be published by the Organising Committee. The Organising Committee informed the House that quality paper will be selected to be published in a Book with ISBN No. The general body accepted but agreed with the suggestion that e-proceedings will be published online so that authors of the papers can have access of the same The idea of e-proceeding is accepted with responsibility from the Organising Committee.
(b) Journal: The GS reported that a resolution was taken in the last GB meeting to have On-Line Journal with Proposal to make it UGC CARE List The Sub-committeee of NEIES Journal was formed with Prof. Dulumoni Goswami, Prof. B.B. Kharbirymbai, Prof. C. Nongbri and Prof. R.C. Patel (Advisor). However, the sub-committee did not function as expected.
It was resolved that the existing Journal Committee be strengthened by including young blood to work for UGC CARE status of the NEIES journal. The members will consist of Dr. E. B. Myrthong, NEHU, Shillong. Dr. Purabi Baishya, Gauhati University; and other members whose the names will be suggested by the Coordinators from the different States which seems fit for the same. The manuscript guidelines will also be reflected for the authors.
(c) Book: The GS reported that the proposal to publish a Book “Education of North East: Status and Perspective” since long has not been materialized. Members discussed at length and felt that the same proposal should be revived. There was a suggestion that there should be the Public Relation Officer of the NEIES to take charge of the same. Prof C.Nongbri offered to be the coordinator. Further she informed the house that the framework was already there and that the same may be adhere to. The proposal was accepted and approved.
5. CHANGE OF AUDITOR: Prof I.Syiem, the Treasurer of NEIES informed the House the challenges faced by her since the Chartered Accountant whom the Society engaged for many years expired and there are only the Office workers who are not easily accessible and request for change. The matter was discussed at length and the permission to change the Auditor of financial matters of NEIES was accepted and authorize her to choose the new one as deem fit.
6. SEED MONEY FOR PROGRAMMES: The President of NEIES stressed the importance of involvement of the Society in other academic activities other than Conferences and Seminars. She suggested that members may plan any programme for upliftment of the Society. It was resolved that the Seed Money of Rs 5000/- for the programme may be funded to the members or Units of NEIES subject to thorough screening by the Executive Committee of NEIES.
7. NEXT CONFERENCE: The GS reported the General Body meeting that she received a Proposal for holding the 29th NEIES Annual Conference from the Principal Synod College. She read out the letter which was well written. Members are very pleased to hear that the upcoming seminar of NEIES will be hosted by Synod College, Shillong, The Proposal was accepted and approved with so much of enthusiasm.
8. GRATITUDE TO GAUHATI UNIVERSITY: The General Body members NEIES expressed gratitude to the hospitality of the colleagues in the Department of Education, Gauhati University who are members of the Organising Committee. The members also appreciated the kind gesture displayed by the Vice Chancellor, who addressed the Inaugural Function in spite of his busy schedule. It is suggested that a letter of gratitude or Thank You card may be sent by the Organising Committee.
9. VOTE OF THANKS: The formal vote of thanks was given by the General Secretary who expressed her appreciation and thanks to the Conference Director, the Organising Secretary, the Senior Faculty members of the Department and all members of the Organising Committee for their kind hospitality, The programme was well organised where every little details of the Programme was taken care of. She placed in 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 Chairperson and President of NEIES, Prof. S. M. Sungoh in her concluding words thanked all members who participated actively 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