Guwahati: The Assam government has moved to overhaul the state's higher education framework by introducing the Assam Higher Education Council Bill, 2026 in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a new statutory body that will coordinate policy, academic planning and institutional governance across universities and colleges in the state.
Tabling the Bill, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said Assam currently lacks a single institution that can effectively connect the University Grants Commission (UGC), the state government and higher educational institutions. He said the proposed council is designed to fill that gap and bring the state's education system in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Pegu explained that although the UGC regulates higher education at the national level and universities function autonomously under state laws, the Directorate of Higher Education is largely confined to administrative responsibilities. The new council, he said, will create an institutional mechanism to facilitate coordination on both academic and policy-related issues.
Under the Bill, the council will function through two governing bodies, a General Council and an Executive Council. While the Executive Council will oversee executive functions, the General Council will include representatives from universities, autonomous colleges, affiliated colleges, government officials and a UGC nominee, ensuring wider participation in decision-making.
Apart from introducing the legislation, the Education Minister also briefed the Assembly on the impact of the recent floods on the state's education sector. He said the government has already begun arranging academic support for students whose study materials were destroyed during the floods.
According to Pegu, fresh sets of textbooks have been procured for students in Sivasagar and Charaideo, with distribution expected to start shortly. He also said nearly 1.5 lakh students will receive replacement school uniforms after losing them in the floods.
The minister added that the government is awaiting detailed reports on the damage caused to school buildings before launching repair work. The assessments are being carried out with the support of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Initial estimates indicate that schools in Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat have suffered extensive damage, with nearly 80 per cent of educational institutions in these districts affected by the floods. Restoration work will begin immediately after the assessment process is completed to ensure classes can resume at the earliest.
Both announcements one focusing on long-term institutional reforms and the other on immediate flood relief for students reflect the state's efforts to strengthen both the governance and resilience of Assam's education system.