GUWAHATI: The Assam government has initiated steps to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord signed in 1985, following recommendations from the Biplab Sarma Committee report.
A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leaders and other key stakeholders, outlined a roadmap for execution. Discussions covered 38 crucial aspects of the report, with further deliberations planned before March 10.
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Education & Language Policies
-Language Mandates in Schools: Assamese will be made compulsory in all English-medium schools across the Brahmaputra Valley, while both Assamese and Bodo will be mandatory in BTC-administered areas.
-Assamese History as a Compulsory Subject: From April 1, 2026, Assamese history will be mandatory up to Class 8, with a comprehensive documentation initiative on the state’s history.
-Government Notifications in Assamese: Starting April 14, all official state notifications will be published in both Assamese and English, coinciding with Bohag Bihu. A dedicated Directorate of State Language will also be established.
Land & Cultural Safeguards
-Exclusive Revenue Circles for Assamese People: Similar to tribal belts and blocks, new revenue circles will be established where only Assamese people will have land ownership rights.
-Legal Protection for Satras & Naamghars: A five-member State Board will be formed to oversee the protection and management of religious institutions like Satras and Naamghars.
Infrastructure & Employment Initiatives
-2,000 new government posts will be created for land-related administration.
-₹100 crore allocated for the development of Shankardev Kalakshetra.
-Employees of Jyoti Chitraban, the state's premier film studio, will now come under government administration.
New Academic Chairs & Departments:
->Tezpur University will introduce an Assamese department with a Padmanath Gohain Baruah Chair.
->Assam University, Silchar, will establish a Lakshminath Bezbaruah Chair.
AASU Advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya reiterated the organisation’s demand for constitutional safeguards to protect the land and identity of indigenous Assamese people.
Addressing the media, he emphasised that the Biplab Sarma Committee, formed by the Union Home Ministry, had submitted its report on time. However, implementation was delayed by four years. He stated that out of 67 recommendations, 40 fall under the state government’s jurisdiction, 12 require collaboration with both state and central governments, while 15 are under the Centre’s control. AASU urged the full implementation of the report to secure the rights of Assam’s indigenous communities.