Tura (Meghalaya), May 22: A teacher’s dream took shape in concrete and hope today as Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma laid the foundation stone for the new PASF-Abong Noga College building and unveiled a modern conference hall in New Tura, pledging to turn the late P.A. Sangma’s vision into the Northeast’s next academic powerhouse.
The ₹8 crore project, bankrolled by Dorf Ketal Chemicals India Ltd. under CSR with ₹5 crore already released, follows a November 26, 2025 pact between the P. A. Sangma Foundation, Dorf Ketal, and Ira Gurukul Educational Trust. The ceremony drew Guest of Honour Soradini K. Sangma, former MP Agatha K. Sangma, Dr. Nagesh Tekale of Navdrushti, Dorf Ketal CSR head Santosh Jagdhane, Vijay Nair of Ira Gurukul Educational Trust, faculty, students, and community leaders, opening with a Wangala dance before the college principal welcomed the gathering.
“Education was always a top priority for late P. A. Sangma,” the Chief Minister said, calling the day “a very important and auspicious moment.” He traced the late leader’s journey from classroom teacher to journalist, lawyer, MP, Chief Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, and party chief, saying the spirit of teaching never left him. “Education and teaching were truly part of his DNA. Today we dedicate this college and the new building to his memory and vision.”
Thanking Dorf Ketal Chairman Subodh Menon, Rudin Menon, and the company family, Sangma noted the weight of their choice. “They could have chosen any institution or state in the country, yet they chose PASF Abong Noga College. Their contribution is not merely symbolic.”
He tied the milestone to Meghalaya’s economic rise. The state is now the third fastest-growing economy in India with nominal GSDP growth exceeding 15 percent, he said, but stressed that real progress must touch every citizen. Nearly 13 percent of the state budget goes to education, yet the challenge has shifted from building schools to lifting quality. Overlapping categories, infrastructure, and staffing still tangle the system, but eight years of reform are showing results. “Transformation cannot happen overnight, but we are moving in the right direction.”
The Chief Minister challenged the college to aim higher. “I would like to see this institution emerge as one of the premier educational institutions not only in Garo Hills or Meghalaya, but across the Northeast. That would be the true tribute to late P. A. Sangma.” Infrastructure alone, he warned, is not the metric. “Constructing a college building is not success unless it transforms the quality of education and shapes the future of students.”
With more than half of Meghalaya under 20 and 75 percent under 30, he said the state must plan for classrooms, colleges, and careers at scale. He pointed to the new structured pay system for 23,000 SSA and ad hoc teachers, a two-decade-old demand now backed by nearly ₹800 crore annually. “Teachers must have stability and dignity if meaningful education reforms are to succeed.”
Recalling early struggles, Sangma said he once used personal funds to pay salaries and keep the college running. “Who would have imagined then that one day this college would receive ₹8 crore for a new building? No dream is impossible. With commitment, faith, perseverance, and hard work, every dream can become reality.”
To students, his message was direct: “You are not only the future; you are also the present of our state. Whether or not you become a Chief Minister or Minister, what matters most is that you serve with sincerity, passion, and dedication.”
PASF-Abong Noga College began classes in 2022 under the P. A. Sangma Foundation, secured NEHU affiliation from 2023, and was recognised as a People’s College under Meghalaya’s Grant-in-Aid scheme on December 12, 2022. Named after late Purno Agitok Sangma and A·chik legend Abong Noga, the college blends cultural legacy with academic ambition. The programme ended with a vote of thanks from Executive Member Danny Ch Marak after General Secretary Dr. J.D. Sangma presented the institution’s journey and roadmap.
