Manipur plans to recruit 655 Assistant Professors as the Higher Education Department outlines NEP 2020 reforms, Rs 50 crore infrastructure projects and student support initiatives.
Imphal, July 28: The Manipur Government has announced that recruitment of 655 Assistant Professors is underway or has been approved as part of a broader effort to strengthen higher education institutions, while outlining key reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, including infrastructure upgrades, college clustering, biometric attendance and expanded multidisciplinary education.
The initiatives were highlighted during the seventh session of the "Meet the Press" programme organised by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) at its auditorium in Imphal on Tuesday. Officials of the Directorate of University and Higher Education (DUHE) briefed the media on the department's achievements, implementation of the Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), and projects under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
Speaking at the event, L. Radhakanta, Director of the Directorate of University and Higher Education, said Manipur currently has 51 Government and Government-aided colleges offering undergraduate education.
He said the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) under NEP 2020 has been implemented across colleges in the state, introducing multidisciplinary learning, multiple entry and exit options, and Honours programmes in 25 Government colleges, including Honours with Research in six institutions.
655 faculty posts to strengthen colleges
Highlighting the shortage of teaching staff, Radhakanta said that 785 of the state's 2,376 sanctioned teaching posts remain vacant.
He informed that the recruitment process for 430 Assistant Professors through the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) is at an advanced stage, while approval has also been granted to recruit 225 additional Assistant Professors, taking the total proposed recruitment to 655 faculty members.
The department expects the appointments to improve the teacher-student ratio and strengthen academic delivery across Government colleges.
B.Ed. colleges to be phased out by 2030
The Director said stand-alone Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) colleges will be phased out by 2030 in accordance with NEP 2020.
They will gradually be replaced by the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), which will initially be introduced in selected institutions. Additional colleges are expected to adopt the programme from the 2028-29 academic session, subject to approval from the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
Rs 50 crore for college infrastructure
On infrastructure development, Radhakanta said the Government is implementing the College Development Mission, under which major works in 20 Government colleges are nearing completion, while another 14 colleges will be taken up in the next phase.
The State has earmarked Rs 50 crore for improving college infrastructure.
He added that the department is also planning to introduce biometric and AI-based attendance monitoring to improve student attendance and academic discipline.
Another major proposal involves creating clusters of nearby colleges, enabling institutions to share faculty members, laboratories, libraries and other academic resources with the long-term objective of building stronger and more autonomous higher education institutions.
College Fagathansi Mission and infrastructure projects
Officials also highlighted progress under the College Fagathansi Mission, launched in 2024 to improve infrastructure in Government colleges.
Construction of eight classrooms each in 20 Government colleges is being undertaken under the mission with a budget of Rs 50 crore.
Recently completed projects include Thoubal College, Manipur College in Imphal West and Modern College in Imphal East, in addition to five colleges inaugurated earlier by the Prime Minister in September 2025.
The department also reported completion of a 100-bed girls' hostel at GP Women's College under RUSA 2.0 and the construction of Heirok Engineering College.
Under projects funded by the North Eastern Council (NEC), construction of a Model Library Building at Pettigrew College has been completed at a cost of Rs 2.27 crore, while infrastructure development work worth Rs 6.225 crore at Oriental College, Takyel, is around 30 percent complete.
Skill training and student support
Officials said vocational training programmes funded under RUSA have been conducted in 40 colleges with an allocation of Rs 15 crore.
The courses covered sectors including information technology, horticulture, floriculture, retail management, tourism and hospitality, food processing, fisheries, media and journalism, computer hardware, automotive technology and rubber processing, in collaboration with industry partners including NIELIT, Imphal Free Press, Maruti dealerships and several local enterprises.
The department said the programmes were designed to improve employability, particularly among students from socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
Support for displaced students
The department also highlighted measures taken following the ethnic conflict in the state.
Under the Chief Minister College Students Rehabilitation Scheme, displaced students were allowed to transfer between colleges.
According to officials, 252 students sought transfers from valley colleges to hill institutions, while 64 students moved from hill colleges to valley institutions.
During the 2025-26 financial year, 754 affected and displaced students received a one-time rehabilitation grant of Rs 10,000 each, with a total assistance of Rs 75.40 lakh.
Civil services coaching and digital education
The Higher Education Department has also signed an agreement with ALS Education Pvt. Ltd. to provide free classroom coaching for 200 bona fide Manipuri civil services aspirants, with government support amounting to Rs 2.80 crore during 2025-26.
Meanwhile, Rs 1.50 crore has been allocated under the Chief Minister's College Maheiroi E-Support Scheme (CMCMESS) for strengthening ICT infrastructure in colleges.
The department further informed that Rs 15 lakh has been earmarked under the Chief Minister's Award for Educational Excellence to provide incentives for the best-performing colleges.
Officials said the combined initiatives are aimed at aligning Manipur's higher education sector with the objectives of NEP 2020, improving academic quality, expanding infrastructure and enhancing access to quality higher education across the state.
