By Rajiv Shukla
GUWAHATI : On July 20 the Assam Assembly unanimously passed the Cotton College State University Bill, 2011, turning the 110-year-old Cotton College  into a teaching-cum-affiliating residential university.

The jurisdiction of the university would be throughout the State, and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would be the Chancellor.

While the Opposition members insisted that the Governor be the Chancellor of the university the Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the move will ensure that the new university gets more government patronage.

Although Mr. Gogoi had announced in his budget speech that the proposed university would be a non-affiliating university, the government proposed in the Bill that it should be an affiliating university so as to foster an atmosphere of competition among the universities of the State, Dr. Sarma told the House.

The Act states that the existing Cotton College would be a constituent college, be a part of the university and impart undergraduate and degree-level education at the same campus.

Earlier the bill was tabled in the House on July 18.

The Cotton College, located on the serene bank of Brahmaputra was established in 1901, has been running conventional UG and PG classes and had started a number of professional PG courses.

Upgrade of the college has been a long-standing demand of its alumni and faculty members.

Before arriving at a final decision on elevating the status of the college, Dispur had engaged Educational Consultants India Ltd (EdCIL), a Noida-based consultancy firm under the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, to prepare a roadmap for academic and infrastructure upgrade of the college.

EdCIL found the college fit to become a world-class university.

The college was initially affiliated to Calcutta University before switching affiliation to Gauhati University.

The bill also stipulates that the Chancellor’s decision will be final in certain matters. “Whenever any question arises as to whether any person has been duly elected, appointed, chosen or nominated as, or is entitled to be a member of any authority or body of the university or whether any decision of any of the authorities or of vice-chancellor of the university is in conformity with this act, the statues and the ordinances, the question shall be referred to the chancellor whose decision will be final,” it states.

According to the bill, if the state government is of the opinion that the affairs of the university are not managed in furtherance of the objects for which any grant or donation is made by the government, public bodies or individuals and university funds are misappropriated or misapplied, the state government can call for an explanation from the executive council.

Besides, if, at any time, it appears to be necessary and expedient in the opinion of the state government, it may, with prior consultation with the chancellor, suspend all or any of the powers of the university and take over all, or any, of the powers of the management and functions of such authorities or officers.

“If any dispute arises as to the interpretation of any of the provisions of this act, the interpretation given by the state government shall be final and binding on all concerned,” it states.