Nagaon Education Department Revokes Permission for Nonoiporia Book and Agro Fair

Nagaon: The Nagaon District Education Department has reportedly revoked its earlier permission for the much-anticipated 2026 Nonoiporia Book and Agro Fair, citing concerns over “academic environment” and “upcoming examinations”.

This move has stunned educators, book lovers, and cultural advocates across Assam.

The Nonoiporia Book and Agri Fair scheduled for January 9-12, 2026, was poised to be a landmark event for the greater Nonoiporia region. Following the resounding success of last year’s edition, which drew over 1,50,000 attendees and saw record-breaking book sales, the fair had earned a reputation as a beacon of literary and agricultural celebration. It was lauded for fostering a reading culture, raising awareness against drug abuse, and promoting local agricultural products in this predominantly agrarian belt.

Organizers, led by cultural activist and Editor Birinchi Bora, had secured all necessary permissions from Nagaon District Education Officer Mridul Kumar Nath and Additional District Commissioner (Education) Jitu Barman. The venue, Nonaiporia Higher Secondary School’s playground, was finalized, and even the District Commissioner Devashish Sharma was formally invited, with a photograph of the meeting shared on social media.

However, in a dramatic reversal on the evening of December 17, the Education Department issued a letter to the school principal, Sanjeev Kalita, rescinding the earlier approval.

In the letter, the Education Department said, “To preserve the academic environment and in view of upcoming examinations, the use of the school playground for the Nonoiporia Book and Agro Fair 2026 is hereby cancelled in the larger interest of the institution.”

This justification has raised eyebrows, especially since all test examinations are scheduled to conclude by December 29, and the same playground has already been approved for a theater event on January 28-30, 2026, just weeks after the book fair was to be held.

The timing and rationale behind the cancellation have led to widespread speculation about external pressures and opaque decision-making. Critics argue that the move contradicts the Assam government’s own declaration of 2025-2026 as the “Year of the Book Fair,” during which financial grants and incentives have been announced to promote literary events across the state.

One local educator said, “This is not just a cancellation, it is a betrayal of the region’s cultural and educational aspirations.”

“The fair is more than an event; it is a movement that inspires reading, awareness, and community pride.”

Following the cancellation, the organizers and supporters of the book fair have now appealed Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for urgent intervention. They have also urged the state leadership to uphold the spirit of the Book Fair Year and ensure that bureaucratic inconsistencies do not derail a people’s movement rooted in knowledge, culture, and rural empowerment.

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