Guwahati: In a major development for women's higher education in the Northeast, Assam Women's University has relocated to its permanent campus at Kaliyapani in Teok under the Mariani Assembly constituency of Jorhat district, more than a decade after it was established.
The new campus, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 29 crore on 58 bighas of land, was inaugurated on Wednesday by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Calling the occasion "historic", the Chief Minister assured continued support from the state government for the institution's growth.
"Today we have inaugurated the women's university, and in the coming days the state government will provide more funds for its development so that it becomes a powerful educational hub," Sarma said.
Assam Women's University, the first women's university in the Northeast, was established after the Assam Legislative Assembly passed the relevant Bill on July 15, 2013. The institution was formally inaugurated on September 11, 2014, during the tenure of the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. In its early years, it functioned from the campus of Assam Agricultural University.
On September 12, 2019, then Governor Jagdish Mukhi appointed Prof. Malini Goswami as the university's first Vice-Chancellor.
Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who was present at the inaugural ceremony, said that despite being founded in 2013, the university had remained "neglected and overlooked".
"After inaugurating the new buildings of Rabindranath Tagore University, Madhavdev University and Bhattadev University, today we are inaugurating the new building of Assam Women's University - one of the significant universities of the state. Though it was established in 2013, it remained largely neglected for the past ten years. Construction of the new campus has been underway for the last five years," Pegu said.
Local MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi described the completion of the permanent campus as a proud moment not only for Jorhat and Assam but for the entire Northeast, and said the university would play a key role in promoting women's education and empowerment in the region.
The university currently has 17 departments offering 46 academic programmes. It has adopted the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and is implementing various skill development initiatives. The institution has also secured NAAC accreditation, strengthening its academic profile.
The campus is equipped with modern classrooms, advanced teaching-learning facilities and dedicated offices for faculty members and heads of departments. A girls' hostel is under construction and is expected to be completed shortly.
At present, 1,205 students are enrolled at the university.