Assam makes state history, geography compulsory subjects; Cabinet clears new Sainik School, CoE

The Assam Cabinet on Sunday approved a series of education proposals, including introduction of compulsory Assam history and geography subjects in Classes 6 to 8, upskilling engineering students, and setting up of a new Sainik School, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Cabinet has decided that Assam history and geography will become mandatory subjects in Classes 6, 7, and 8 across all elementary and upper primary schools in the state. The subjects will be introduced uniformly across the state for “shaping young minds with the knowledge of Assam”.

The approval comes a week after the education department told the Assembly that over 1,400 interior schools still lacked basic drinking water and toilet facilities, while nearly 28,000 teaching posts remained vacant in all state–run schools.

The Cabinet also cleared a Rs 243.66 crore Centre of Excellence (CoE) to be set up at Assam Engineering College in Guwahati. The CoE in Aerospace and Defence, Automotive, and Electrical Vehicle will provide industry-relevant skills, support upskilling and strengthen the startup and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ecosystem.

The government has also approved the establishment of a new Sainik School in Karbi Anglong, at an estimated cost of Rs 335 crore.

Additionally, “the Cabinet has approved the Assam Logistics and Warehousing Policy, 2025 to reduce logistics cost, improve multimodal connectivity and attract investments in the sector. Boost to Skilling and Industrial Development.”

Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu had informed the assembly that 12,382 teaching posts are lying vacant at present in Middle English (ME) schools and 8,251 regular teachers positions are vacant in the lower primary (LP) schools.

The Assembly cleared four education-related amendment bills on fee regulation, provincialisation of teachers, re-organisation of education institutions, and teacher recruitment and transfer.

Additionally, two more bills – Azim Premji University Bill, 2025, and the North Eastern Regional Institute of Management (NERIM) University Bill, 2025 – also moved by Pegu, were passed. There six education-related bills was cleared on November 29 amid an opposition walkout.