Coaching Institutes Bill introduced in Assam Assembly; CM Sarma says "will bring transparency"

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu tabled the bill in the state Assembly. This bill aims to regulate private coaching centres to ensure quality education for aspirants of competitive exams.

The key points of the bill include Mandatory Registration: Existing and new institutes must register within a stipulated time before operating; Clear Definitions: Terms like "coaching institute," "tutor," and "registration" are clearly defined; Application Details: Institutes must submit information on curriculum, schedule, fees, infrastructure, and staff qualifications; Operational Norms: Institutes must follow standards for safety, qualified staff, student space, and avoid false claims; Code of Conduct: Transparency in fees and student outcomes is required, along with mandatory mental health workshops and counselling; Inclusivity: Institutes must support marginalised groups and provide disability-friendly facilities; Monitoring: District Authorities will inspect and enforce compliance, with penalties for violations; Appeals: An appellate body will handle registration and compliance disputes.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "The bill will ensure strict adherence to rules, bring transparency in private coaching institutes and help in the overall welfare of students."

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said, "The bill promotes accountability, safety, and inclusiveness in Assam's coaching sector."

On the other hand, the Assam Education Minister also laid "The Assam Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025" in the Assam Assembly.

The Bill proposes certain norms for private universities as mandatory security clearance for sponsoring bodies, a ban on religious conversion activities, restriction on opening new technical and medical courses, and government inspection every three years.

The state Education Minister laid eight amendment bills in the Assam Legislative Assembly concerning the Bongaigaon, Gurucharan, Jagannath Barooah, Nagaon, North Lakhimpur, Sibsagar, Swahid Kanaklata Baruah, and Kokrajhar Universities.

These amendments seek to empower the state government to appoint the first Vice Chancellor of each newly established university. Subsequently, future Vice Chancellors will be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a committee comprising nominees of the Governor, the Executive Council of the respective university, and a nominee of the state government.

Following the signing of the MoU during Advantage Assam 2.0, the Assam Education Minister also laid three bills in the Assam Assembly on Friday for establishing three Private Universities in the state, namely, Maa Kamakhya University (Darrang), Edtech Skill University (Tinsukia) and Swami Vivekananda University (BTR). (ANI)