Assam Govt introduces Higher Education Council Bill in Assembly to align state framework with NEP 2020

The Assam government on Tuesday, July 28 introduced the Assam Higher Education Council Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly, proposing the creation of an apex coordinating body aimed at strengthening 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 function as an intermediary institution linking the University Grants Commission (UGC), the state government and universities. He said the move was necessitated by the absence of a dedicated body to coordinate academic and administrative matters across institutions of higher education.

Pegu said that while the UGC serves as the national regulatory authority and universities function as autonomous institutions established through legislation of the Assam Legislative Assembly, the Directorate of Higher Education primarily handles administrative responsibilities and does not oversee academic affairs.

"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," the minister said.

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 University Grants Commission.

The minister said the proposed council would facilitate coordination in both academic and executive matters, providing an institutional mechanism for improved governance of higher education in the state.

Addressing the impact of the recent floods on the education sector, Pegu said the government has initiated measures to assist students who lost textbooks and uniforms and to restore damaged school infrastructure.

He said fresh textbooks have already been arranged for students in the flood-hit districts of Sivasagar and Charaideo, with distribution scheduled to begin within the next two days.

The minister said nearly 1.5 lakh students would require fresh school uniforms following the floods. He added that the government is awaiting detailed damage assessment reports on school infrastructure before undertaking restoration work.

Pegu said renovation and repair of damaged schools would commence immediately after the School Education Department receives the 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.