New Delhi: In a stormy session of the Lok Sabha, the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed on Tuesday through a voice vote, with no discussion allowed. The Bill amends the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017, to accord IIM Guwahati the status of an ‘Institute of National Importance’, making it the 22nd IIM under this designation.
The proceedings were marked by uproar from the Opposition, who had earlier disrupted the House over issues including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Despite repeated protests, the government moved ahead with the Bill, drawing sharp criticism over what many Opposition leaders termed as the “bulldozing of Parliament.”
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced the Bill, stressing its role in accelerating development in Assam and the Northeast. The proposal, which stems from the Memorandum of Settlement between the Centre, the Assam government, and ULFA representatives, will provide a corpus fund of ₹555 crore for five years. After 2029–30, IIM Guwahati is expected to operate independently through internal revenue generation.
BJP MP Dilip Saikia, who was presiding over the House, brushed aside Opposition objections during the voice vote, remarking, “The state of Assam will have an IIM and you are saying no.”
According to the provisions of the Bill:
IIM Guwahati will initially function under the mentorship of IIM Ahmedabad.
Classes are expected to commence this year from a temporary campus.
A permanent campus is planned at Palasbari in Assam’s Kamrup district.
The Opposition slammed the government for passing such a significant Bill without discussion, raising questions about legislative transparency and democratic deliberation. Critics argued that the move undermines Parliament’s role as a platform for debate and accountability.
Following the passage of the Bill, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day after multiple disruptions earlier.
