New Delhi, August 20 (HS): In a landmark move, the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 by voice vote, paving the way for the establishment of the country’s 22nd IIM and Assam’s very first—at Guwahati. The project will receive ₹550 crore capital support from the Centre. The Bill had already been cleared by the Lok Sabha a day earlier.

Once operational, IIM Guwahati will be the second IIM in the Northeast after Shillong, and will enjoy the status of an “Institute of National Importance.” The move, the government said, is aimed at bridging regional disparities in higher education, fostering world-class research in management, and driving economic and entrepreneurial growth in the region.

Opposition members staged a walkout when the Bill was introduced in the Upper House. Defending the legislation, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said this was “not just the establishment of an academic institute but a historic moment for Assam and the Northeast.” He added that while IIT Guwahati, NIT Silchar, and a Central University have long enriched the educational ecosystem of Assam, there had been a long-standing gap for a premier management institute—now finally being filled.

Pradhan further informed the House that the amendment to the IIM Act, 2017 would formally include the upcoming Guwahati institute in the Act’s schedule, guaranteeing it the same national importance as existing IIMs. He urged early passage so that the inaugural academic session could begin this year itself.

During the debate, BJP MP Kanad Purkayastha from Assam, AGP’s Birendra Prasad Baishya, Gujarat’s Rambhai Mokariya, and AIADMK leader Dr. M. Thambidurai from Tamil Nadu all extended full support to the Bill. Ultimately, the Rajya Sabha cleared it unanimously by voice vote.

The Centre has committed ₹550 crore, while the Assam government will provide land and supporting infrastructure. The project is also tied to the special development package announced under the tripartite accord between the Centre, Assam government, and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) aimed at holistic development of the state. Till a Board of Governors is formed, the administration of the new IIM will be overseen by officials appointed by the Central government.

With this, IIM Guwahati is set to become a transformative hub for management education in the Northeast—promising new opportunities for youth, new momentum for Assam’s economy, and renewed strength to India’s academic footprint in the region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar