Guwahati: The Assam government on Tuesday introduced the Assam Higher Education Council Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly, proposing the creation of an apex coordinating body to strengthen governance and academic coordination in the state’s higher education sector in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Introducing the Bill, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said the proposed Assam Higher Education Council would serve as an intermediary institution linking the University Grants Commission (UGC), the state government and universities.
Pegu said the legislation was necessitated by the absence of a dedicated body to coordinate academic and administrative matters across higher education institutions.
“The Assam Higher Education Council Bill, 2026, is in conformity with NEP 2020. We felt the need for an intermediary apex body that can coordinate among the UGC, the government and the universities,” he said.
The minister said the UGC functions as the national regulatory authority, while universities operate as autonomous institutions established through legislation passed by the Assam Legislative Assembly. He added that the Directorate of Higher Education primarily handles administrative responsibilities and does not oversee academic affairs.
According to the proposed legislation, the council will have a two-tier structure comprising a General Council and an Executive Council. The Executive Council will be headed by senior government officials, while the General Council will include representatives from universities, autonomous colleges, general colleges and a nominee of the UGC.
Pegu said the council would facilitate coordination in academic and executive matters, providing an institutional mechanism for improved governance of higher education in the state.
The minister also informed the House about measures being taken to assist students affected by the recent floods.
He said fresh textbooks have been arranged for students in the flood-hit districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo, with distribution expected to begin within the next two days.
Pegu said nearly 1.5 lakh students would require new school uniforms following the floods. He added that the government was awaiting detailed damage assessment reports before undertaking restoration of school infrastructure.
He said repair and renovation of damaged schools would begin after the School Education Department receives assessment reports prepared in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
According to the government’s preliminary assessment, nearly 80 per cent of schools in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat districts have been affected by the recent floods, necessitating large-scale restoration efforts to resume normal academic activities.