Assam clears key education reforms, healthcare funding and employee welfare measures

The Assam Cabinet has approved ₹108 crore to reimburse colleges and universities for admission fees waived under the state's fee waiver scheme. It has also increased financial assistance for families of Samagra Shiksha employees who die in service from ₹5 lakh to ₹7.5 lakh.

The decisions were taken during the state Cabinet meeting on Nov 10. The meeting also cleared proposals to develop teaching-learning materials for primary school students in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati's Research Park and merge Krishna Kanta Handiqui Sanskrit College in Guwahati with Bhaskar Varman Sanskrit University in Nalbari.

Under the admission fee waiver scheme, students from families meeting the prescribed income criteria are exempted from paying admission fees. The government reimburses the participating colleges and universities for the fees waived on behalf of eligible students.

The newly approved allocation of ₹108 crore will compensate these institutions for the admission fees they have waived. The funding is intended to ensure that colleges and universities receive the amount due under the scheme while eligible students continue to access admission without paying the prescribed fees.

The Cabinet also approved an increase in the ex-gratia assistance provided to families of Samagra Shiksha employees who die while in service. The amount has been raised to ₹7.5 lakh from ₹5 lakh, in line with the proposal announced in the state Budget.

Assam approves ₹2 crore for Ayushman Bharat-linked healthcare coverage

Alongside the education and employee welfare measures, the Cabinet approved ₹2 crore towards the state's contribution to an Ayushman Bharat-linked healthcare scheme.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said financial assistance from the Centre covers approximately 30 lakh families in Assam. The state government separately bears the expenditure for providing healthcare coverage to around 40 lakh additional families.

The arrangement extends the coverage to families beyond those supported through the Central government's assistance. The newly approved allocation will go towards meeting Assam's share of the scheme's expenditure.

IIT Guwahati Research Park to develop learning materials for primary students

The Cabinet also approved a partnership between the Assam government and IIT Guwahati's Research Park to develop Teaching-Learning Materials (TLM) for students in Grades 1 and 2.

Until now, the state has procured these educational resources from private vendors through a tender-based process before distributing them to schools. Under the newly approved arrangement, the government and the institute's Research Park will jointly develop the materials.

The initiative will focus particularly on strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy among young learners. The proposed resources will cover basic mathematical concepts, geometry and English to help children develop essential skills during their early years of schooling.

Sarma said the collaboration would enable the government to create educational resources according to children's learning requirements. It would also reduce the state's dependence on commercially available materials procured from private suppliers.

The partnership is expected to bring academic and research expertise into the preparation of classroom resources. By developing materials suited to students' requirements, the government aims to improve the quality and relevance of teaching resources used in primary schools.

Krishna Kanta Handiqui Sanskrit College to merge with Bhaskar Varman Sanskrit University

In another higher education-related decision, the Cabinet approved the merger of Krishna Kanta Handiqui Sanskrit College in Guwahati with Bhaskar Varman Sanskrit University in Nalbari.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Sarma said the college currently has approximately 37 students, whereas the university has a considerably larger student population.

As part of the restructuring, the college will be shifted from Guwahati to the university campus in Nalbari. Its existing students will be accommodated at the university, while the college's professors will be absorbed into the university's faculty.

The Chief Minister also clarified that the name of renowned scholar Krishna Kanta Handiqui would not be discontinued. Instead, the government plans to retain his name by associating it with another educational institution.

The merger is among the administrative changes approved by the Cabinet to reorganize the state's higher education institutions. It will bring the college's students and teaching staff under the university's academic and administrative structure.

Assam Cabinet reviews preparations for Bhupen Hazarika birth anniversary program

Apart from decisions concerning education, healthcare and employee welfare, the Cabinet also discussed arrangements for the November 29 programme marking the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna awardee Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.

Sarma said the government would review the preparations after Diwali to assess the arrangements for the upcoming event.

He added that the Cabinet meeting primarily dealt with routine administrative matters, along with discussions on preparations for the birth anniversary celebrations.

The decisions collectively cover financial support for students and educational institutions, improvements in primary-level learning resources, restructuring of higher education institutions and additional assistance for families of deceased Samagra Shiksha employees.