Guwahati, Sept. 25: The Assam College Teachers Association today blamed lack of infrastructure in the universities and colleges for the students? exodus to cities outside the state for higher education.

The association expressed concern over a quality analysis by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in which the need for development of infrastructure and modernisation of laboratories for universities was cited.

The report also highlighted the shortage of qualified teachers in the Northeast.

The report said though there might have been an increase in the number of institutes for pursuing higher education, in terms of quality, the institutes still need to improve.

The association?s president, Bijoy Sarma, told reporters that since the government is not spending enough money for infrastructure development of the colleges, students are leaving the state.

He said the association would organise a state-level workshop to prepare a roadmap for quality education in the state.

Sarma laid stress on making the internal quality assurance cells in colleges fully functional, to help sustain the present quality of education.

The association welcomed the state government?s decision to provincialise colleges suffering from lack of funds, by introducing a pension scheme for teachers and employees of those colleges.