Guwahati, Nov 10 — The Assam Cabinet on Tuesday approved Rs 108.81 crore under the Pragyan Bharati Scheme to compensate colleges providing free admission to more than 1.5 lakh first-year undergraduate students during the 2026–27 academic year.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision was among several key proposals cleared by the Cabinet at its meeting held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sarma said the government's initiatives were aimed at ensuring that financial constraints do not become a barrier to higher education while also improving the quality of learning in schools.
Under the Pragyan Bharati Scheme, participating colleges extend free admission benefits to eligible students. The Cabinet's approval of Rs 108.81 crore will compensate the institutions for the financial support provided to students.
The decision is expected to benefit over 1.5 lakh first-year undergraduate students across Assam and further the state government's push to expand access to higher education.
In another important decision, the Cabinet approved the development and procurement of Teaching-Learning Material (TLM) kits through the Research Park of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.
The initiative is aimed at improving experiential learning in schools and reforming the existing procurement mechanism for educational materials.
According to the government, the new TLM kits will be designed to make classroom learning more interactive, student-friendly and conducive to holistic development.
The move is expected to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of school education by encouraging greater participation and practical learning among students.
Sarma said the government was focused on strengthening Assam's education ecosystem from schools to higher educational institutions.
The Cabinet decisions underline the government's emphasis on combining financial assistance with academic reforms, particularly at a time when access, affordability and quality remain key challenges in the education sector.
The free admission support is expected to ease the financial burden on thousands of families, while the IIT Guwahati-linked initiative seeks to bring innovation and improved learning tools into classrooms across the state.