The Assam government has introduced stringent new regulations for private universities, making national security clearance a mandatory requirement before their establishment. The decision, taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Lok Sewa Bhawan on Tuesday, aims to reinforce the Assam Private University Act and curb potential irregularities. A key highlight of the new policy is that owning land and infrastructure alone will no longer be sufficient to set up a private university. Institutions must now obtain security clearance from the state’s Home and Political Departments before they can begin operations. “From now on, no private university will be allowed to function in Assam without security clearance.
This measure ensures that only credible institutions operate in the state,” Chief Minister Sarma stated. The Cabinet has also stressed that private universities must maintain a secular outlook and refrain from any activities related to religious conversions. Any institution found violating this rule will face severe consequences, including the cancellation of its registration. “Assam upholds a secular fabric, and educational institutions must adhere to it. No private university should be directly or indirectly involved in religious conversions,” Sarma warned.
These stricter regulations follow concerns raised over the functioning of the University of Science & Technology Meghalaya (USTM), run by the ERD Foundation. The institution has been under scrutiny for alleged irregularities, with its founder and Chancellor, Mahbubul Haque, currently in judicial custody over accusations of facilitating unfair examination practices at the Central Public School in Patharkandi, which is also managed by the foundation.