The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, through a voice vote without discussion, granting IIM Guwahati the status of an institute of national importance.
The legislation, introduced by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, amends the IIM Act of 2017 to include the Guwahati institute. It follows a Memorandum of Settlement signed between the Centre, the Assam government, and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) to boost development in the state.
According to the Bill, IIM Guwahati will receive a corpus fund of ₹555 crore over five years, from 2025–26 to 2029–30. After this period, the institute is expected to become self-sustaining through internal revenue streams. “After five years, no additional support shall be extended to the Institute since it shall be generating enough revenue on its own,” the legislation states.
The passage of the Bill took place amid protests and repeated adjournments in the House over unrelated issues, including the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Despite objections, BJP MP Dilip Saikia oversaw the voice vote, remarking, “The state of Assam will have an IIM and you are saying no,” before declaring the Bill adopted.
With IIM Guwahati’s inclusion, the total number of IIMs designated as institutes of national importance has risen to 22. The new institute will initially operate under the mentorship of IIM Ahmedabad. Classes are expected to begin this year from a temporary campus, while a permanent facility is planned at Palasbari in Kamrup district.
The move is seen as a significant step in strengthening higher education infrastructure in Assam and the Northeast, aligning with the Centre’s stated goal of improving access to premier institutions in underserved regions.