Parliament cleared another major step in expanding management education in the Northeast on Wednesday, as the Rajya Sabha passed the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, paving the way for the establishment of a new IIM in Guwahati with a capital outlay of ₹550 crore.
The development comes a day after the Lok Sabha approved the legislation during a noisy session marked by opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Despite repeated demands from the opposition benches to suspend business and hold a debate on the issue, the government went ahead with its listed business and introduced the IIM bill in the Upper House on Wednesday. The opposition MPs staged a walkout shortly after the bill was taken up.
Replying to the discussion, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the Guwahati campus would be “the 21st IIM in the country and the 9th set up under the Narendra Modi-led government in the last 10 years”. He remarked that the new institution would significantly strengthen higher education infrastructure in the entire region.
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“The 21st IIM in the country will be set up in Guwahati at an investment of Rs 550 crore,” Pradhan said, while expressing appreciation for the role played by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in securing approval for the initiative.
“I am happy today (with) the way Northeast is emerging. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is solidly behind the Northeast... IIM Guwahati will certainly create a bigger scenario for entire Northeast, especially Assam and Guwahati,” he added.
The bill was passed by voice vote. Government sources said the institute would be the second IIM in the Northeast after Shillong and form part of the special development package being implemented in Assam.
The House later proceeded with the remaining listed business in the absence of opposition members who had walked out in protest.
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