Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha on August 18, 2025, to include the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Guwahati in the schedule of the Indian Institutes of Management Act, thereby declaring it an institution of national importance. The bill was presented amid opposition protests over electoral roll revisions in Bihar. This legislative move follows a Memorandum of Settlement signed between the central government, the Assam government, and representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), which outlines a Special Development Package for Assam's all-round development. Establishing IIM Guwahati as an institution of national importance is a key project under this package. Currently, 21 IIMs across India hold this status. Assam, with a population exceeding three crore, is one of the few states without an IIM, a gap the bill aims to address by recognizing the institute’s strategic location and developmental needs in the Northeast region. (Updated 18 Aug 2025, 15:36 IST; source: link)