Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday inaugurated the newly built academic block of Assam Women’s University in Jorhat, stressing that higher education must align with emerging economic trends and equip students with industry-relevant skills.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 28.50 crore, the new facility is part of the state government’s broader push to strengthen higher education infrastructure. Sarma noted that since its establishment in 2013, the university has undergone rapid expansion and academic consolidation.
Highlighting its recent achievements, he said the institution has secured NAAC accreditation, implemented the National Education Policy, and currently offers 46 academic programmes across 17 departments.
He also lauded the introduction of value-added courses based on Indian knowledge systems, along with foreign language programmes such as Spanish and Japanese.
Announcing further support, the chief minister also announced Rs 75 crore for the construction of hostels, an administrative building and faculty quarters for the university.
Sarma said that over the past five years, the state government has prioritised human resource development by setting up new institutions and upgrading existing ones. He added that sustained action against social issues such as child marriage and polygamy has contributed to a visible shift in societal attitudes towards women.
Referring to the ‘Nijut Moina’ scheme, he said the initiative has led to a sharp rise in girls’ enrolment in colleges, with nearly 50,000 more admissions recorded this year compared to the previous year. Increased participation of women in professional fields such as medicine and engineering, he added, signals steady progress towards gender parity in the state.
Reiterating the importance of employment-oriented education, Sarma said Assam must prepare a skilled workforce as India rises to become the world’s fourth-largest economy and as major industrial investments take shape in the state.
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On the occasion, he also inaugurated the new campus of Jorhat Government Law College, built at a cost of Rs 17.26 crore. Additionally, he unveiled new buildings for three schools constructed at a total cost of Rs 9 crore to strengthen educational facilities in tea garden areas.
