The country's 22nd Indian Institute of Management (IIM) is set to be established in Guwahati with an investment of Rs 555 crore, as Parliament cleared a Bill in this regard on Wednesday, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan saying the new institution will start admitting students from the current academic year itself.
The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote even as the Opposition staged a walkout soon after the bill was introduced.
It was cleared by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The bill to set up an IIM in Guwahati will go for Presidential assent after its passage in both Houses of Parliament. Assam goes to the polls early next year.
Introducing the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Pradhan said setting up of IIM-Guwahati, with a central outlay of Rs 555 crore, will contribute towards making India the third largest economy in the world.
Later, replying to the discussion on the bill, Pradhan said this will be the 9th IIM to be established since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014.
"From 1961, IIMs are functioning in the country. From 1961 to 2014, in the span of 53 years, successive governments could create only 13 IIMs," the minister said.
In 2013-14, across all 13 IIMs the number of students was 3,500. Today the number of students in 2024-25 is 9,800, which shows the commitment of our government towards creating new institutions and giving an opportunity to many students in our country, said Pradhan.
The minister further said in 2017, the government took a historic decision on IIMs when they were not competent to award degrees and gave a PG Diploma.
He asserted that as a result of PM Modi's vision, IIMs became an institution of national importance.
"Now with enactment of 2017 Act by Parliament, IIM became a full-fledged university-like institution. IIM Guwahati, when it starts functioning, (will be) as good as a university, an institution of national importance," said Pradhan.
"India's 22nd IIM will be set up in Guwahati at an investment of Rs 555 crore," informed the minister.
He alleged that Assam's worst days were during 2004-14 when it was completely ignored by Congress under then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he did not have the decision-making powers, which lay with someone else.
"We are granting permission to foreign universities to open (their campuses) in India. Today 15 foreign universities are making preparations to open (campuses) in India, some have already been established here. Similarly... in the last two years, two IITs have opened abroad in Abu Dhabi and Africa," said Pradhan.
He said IIM-Ahmedabad is known as the factory for producing unicorns.
The establishment of an IIM in Guwahati as an institution of national importance is one of the projects under the special development package provided to Assam.
At present, there are 21 IIMs that are declared institutions of national importance and each of those are specified in the Schedule to the IIM Act.
Participating in the debate on the Bill, members, including Goll Baburao (YSRCP), Niranjan Bishi (BJD) and M Thambidurai (AIADMK), expressed concern over vacant faculty posts at IIMs and the rising rate of students' suicides.
Niranjan Bishi (BJD) welcomed the bill with a request to establish more IIMs in Odisha. "About 500 faculty posts are vacant and it should be filled up. Ragging in IIMs and IITs should be stopped," he said.
M Thambidurai (AIADMK) said, "We are attracting more students for IIMs, but suicides are rising".
He also demanded that the minister probe into vacant posts of vice-chancellors in 8-9 universities in Tamil Nadu as he slammed the DMK government in the state for the current situation.
Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP) said Congress ignored the demand of people of Assam. Setting up of IIM will not only develop Assam but the entire Northeast, he said.
He also requested the minister to give students from the Northeast a priority in admission into IIM-Guwahati.
Praful Patel (NCP) said it is a welcome step for many aspiring students of the Northeast. It is necessary to spread education in length and breadth of the country.
"There should be a day when people all over the world want to come to our IITs and IIMs to get the degree, with that vision the government is moving ahead," he added.
K Laxman (BJP) said surprisingly, there was only one IIM set up during the UPA, and during the Modi regime nine such institutes have come up.
"I also feel the youth and students of Assam need not travel for better education. With support of Rs 555 crore, Assam is going to one for centre of education," he said.
He also demanded setting up of an IIM in Telangana.
Geetha, alias Chandprabha (BJP), said so far, there was no IIM in Assam and students were travelling to other cities. The setting up of an IIM in Assam is a good move and is in the interest of students.
Ravichandra Vaddiraju (BRS) welcomed the bill and demanded that an IIM be set up in Hyderabad.
Kanad Purkayastha (BJP) said it will open vast opportunities for the youth and build strong ecosystem for startups and business.
Naresh Bansal (BJP), Rambhai Harjibhai Mokariya (BJP) and Ramji (BSP) also participated in the debate.
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