Himanta calls IIM in Assam a historic occasion

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday hailed the Lok Sabha’s approval for setting up an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the state as a “historic occasion”.

Sarma said the move marks a major step towards establishing Assam as an education hub in the Northeast, with IIT, AIIMS and now IIM coming up in the state. “Truly a historic day for Assam as the Lok Sabha passes the bill to establish the State’s first Indian Institute of Management,” he wrote on X.

The Union Cabinet had cleared the proposal for IIM-Guwahati last week, making it the 21st IIM in the country and the second in the Northeast after IIM-Shillong. The new institution will be mentored by IIM-Ahmedabad and begin classes in temporary facilities arranged by the state government before shifting to its permanent campus at Palasbari in Kamrup district.

Sarma thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for “steering this endeavour” and said the development places Assam “on the cusp of becoming a major education hub of Eastern India.”

Also Read: Lok Sabha clears Bill for new IIM in Guwahati with Rs 550 crore support