Shillong June 21: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Friday erected a signboard of the “Central Agriculture University” and erased with spray paint the words “Agriculture College” at Kyrdemkulai in Ri-Bhoi district to register their protest against the non-fulfillment of the government to set up the Central Agriculture University in the state.

Instead of the university, the Central Agriculture College was established at Kyrdemkulai which is being affiliated to the Central Agriculture University, Imphal.

KSU activists who put up banners near the signboard of the college said that more than 200 acres of land has been acquired at Kyrdemkulai for setting up of a full-fledged agriculture university, not a college.

“We want university not college, do not dupe us Central government,” some of the banners read.

Meanwhile the lone Rajya Sabha MP from Meghalaya, Wansuk Syiem has raised the issue in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

Syiem said that the institute at Kyrdemkulai was inaugurated by the then Union agriculture minister in 2016 with a commitment that the institute will be accorded an independent status while urging the Centre to keep its commitment on this.

She also said that many young students from the state were keen to take agriculture studies by joining the Central Agriculture University at Kyrdemkulai.

Lok Sabha MP from Shillong, Vincent H. Pala has also raised a question in Parliament seeking to know from the Union government the details and present status of the Agriculture University in Meghalaya.

He also wanted to know the number of students enrolled in the Agriculture College during the last two years, along with courses offered there.

The College of Agriculture at Kyrdemkulai is running from the campus of the College of Post Graduate Studies, Umïam (Barapani) with an intake capacity of 22 students per session.

The college is being managed by a Dean and four contractual assistant professors with support from staff of the College of Post Graduate Studies, Umïam (Barapani).