Assam passes Bill to restrict religious conversion activities in private universities

The Assam Assembly, on March 24, passed a Bill aimed at restricting private universities from engaging in activities related to the religious conversion of students, faculty, and staff.

The House also cleared Bills for setting up three new universities and amendments to Acts pertaining to nine existing varsities.

Education Minister Ranoj Peju tabled the Bills in the House for consideration and passage, along with another seeking amendment to the Assam Private Universities Act, 2007.

The Assam Private Universities Bill, 2025 proposed to impose restrictions on the varsities from involving in any activity relating to conversion of students, faculties and other staff.

The university shall maintain a secular character, the amendment Bill said.

It also proposed that the university shall not open any new technical, medical, para-medical, nursing and other technical courses related to agriculture, veterinary, dairy and other allied subjects with effect from April 1, 2025.

The amendment further proposed a security clearance report in respect of the antecedents or precedents of the sponsoring body from the Home and Political Department, Government of Assam.

It also proposes a provision for inspection of the university by the state government once every three years to verify whether the conditions imposed during its establishment have been complied with.

Any deviation in compliance to conditions may lead to dissolution of the university, the amended Act added.

The EdTech Skills University Bill, 2025, which seeks to establish a private varsity for furthering learning and assessment of higher education and research in accordance with New Education Policy, was passed.

Sponsored by the World Education Mission, the proposed university will be located in Tinsukia, Pegu said.

With similar objectives of promoting higher education, advanced learning and fostering research, The Swami Vivekanand University Bill, 2025 and The Maa Kamakhya University Bill, 2025 were cleared by the Assembly.

Sponsored by Social Action and Research Foundation, the proposed Swami Vivekanand University will have its permanent campus at Odlaguri in Chirang district, while the operational campus will be at Kokrajhar.

The proposed Maa Kamakhya University, sponsored by Gabeshona Eduversity Foundation, will be situated in Sipajhar in Darrang district.

The Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Sciences Bill, 2025 was moved by Pegu on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the Medical Education and Research Department.

It seeks to ensure that "institutes/organisations/ bodies applying for affiliation from the Srimanta Sankardeva University of Health Sciences do not pose a threat to national security, are secular in nature and are using legal funding for setting up the institutes".

The House also passed eight other Bills proposing that the first vice-chancellor of eight varsities will be appointed by the state government, while the chancellor will appoint the subsequent VCs on the recommendation of an advisory board.