Guwahati: A bill to include the proposed Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati in Assam in the Schedule of the Indian Institutes of Management Act was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, paving the way for it to be declared an institution of national importance.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tabled the bill amid protests by the opposition over the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.
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The draft legislation is part of a broader developmental framework outlined in the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between the central government, the Assam government, and representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). The MoS includes a Special Development Package (SDP) aimed at boosting infrastructure and educational opportunities in Assam.
The establishment of IIM Guwahati as an institution of national importance is one of the key projects under this package. Currently, 21 IIMs across India enjoy the same status under the IIM Act.
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Highlighting the demand for such an institution, the bill notes that Assam, despite having a population of over three crore, remains one of the few states without an IIM.
The Assam government had earlier urged the Centre to set up the institute, citing the state’s strategic location and the need for holistic development in the region.