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Union HRD Minister to lay the EFL University Foundation Stone at Shillong

Good news for the north-eastern students as the Shillong Campus of English and Foreign Languages (EFL) University will soon be set up permanently. Union Human Resource Development Minister M.M. Pallam Raju will be laying the foundation stone of the campus on June 7 at Umsawli, Mawdiangdiang.

EFL University was founded in 1958 as the Central Institute of English (CIE) and became Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL) in 1972. In 2006, CIEFL became a Central University by an Act of Parliament.

In a very short span of time, the university has been able to open the fourth campus of one hundred acres in Kerala to cater to the present educational needs of the country.

It is high time that Language Education (particularly in Foreign Languages) no longer be treated as a peripheral activity but accorded the importance it deserves. Moreover the ‘disconnect’ that exists between language education envisaged for the schools and what the Universities perceive must be addressed, bridged and bolstered.

“Again in light of the growing international (cultural and economic) ties that are being forged between India and other countries of the world, setting up an Independent Panel for Foreign Languages at the UGC would be the first step needed. Along with the Curriculum Development Committee it must begin earnestly - the task of formulating new guidelines for the teaching and learning of foreign languages at colleges and universities in India,” Santidora Nongpluh, assistant professor of Shillong campus said in a release.

In the mean time, the Shillong Campus, Research and other established programmes must continue vigourously. Besides, focussed yet inclusive programmes that include Cultural Studies, Communication and Translation Studies must be introduced and in the years ahead - With infrastructure in place - International Teacher Training programmes and Material Production can then side by side provide the synergy to invigorate the life of the EFL University, Shillong. The upcoming campus will accord reality to this dream. The development of the Shillong Campus is a Vision that is now about to translate into Reality. The immediate task before us is to put this project on a fast track and eventually - that all stakeholders nurture it unwaveringly. It is only a matter of time that the EFL University, Shillong becomes a Beacon for the North-East, a Campus of International Standing and a Cause for National Pride, the release stated.

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