Guwahati: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has granted official approval for the establishment of the Shillong Government College of Engineering, marking a significant milestone as the first government engineering college in Meghalaya.
On April 30, 2025, the AICTE issued the Letter of Approval (LoA) to the Principal Secretary of Education, Government of Meghalaya. The new institution will be set up at Mawlai Kynton Massar in East Khasi Hills district and will function under the academic affiliation of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong.
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The college has also received authorization to launch two undergraduate programs, Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering, with an initial intake of 30 students each for the 2025–26 academic session. As per the state government’s policy, the college will also reserve 10% of the seats for candidates from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma shared the development on X, expressing his excitement, “Thrilled to announce that Shillong Government College of Engineering has received the Letter of Approval from AICTE for launching Civil and Electrical Engineering courses, marking the first government engineering college in the state.”
To meet AICTE’s requirements, the state government must ensure the institution complies with standards related to infrastructure, qualified faculty, and academic governance. The government also plans to allocate sufficient funding to ensure the college meets these criteria.
As part of AICTE regulations, the institution must secure affiliation or permission from NEHU and follow the university’s prescribed admission timeline.
The council has clearly prohibited any admissions beyond the approved intake. Any such violation may prompt disciplinary action in accordance with AICTE regulations.
Additionally, the council has restricted the college from entering into collaborative arrangements with other Indian or foreign universities for technical courses unless it obtains prior approval from AICTE. Any unauthorized collaboration will attract regulatory consequences.
AICTE has also encouraged the new college to actively engage in national programs such as the Smart India Hackathon, ATAL Faculty Development Programs, and scholarship schemes like Pragati, Saksham, and Swanath, which support student innovation, faculty development, and inclusive education.