Guwahati, March 8 (PTI): Assam assembly today passed a bill to merge the historic Cotton College here with the existing Cotton College State University for establishing a new university.
As per The Cotton University Act, 2017, which was passed today, Cotton College, the premier educational institute of the north east which was established here in 1901, will give away all its assets, funds and other properties to the new Cotton University (CU).
The new university will be set up to sort out the “tremendous clash” between the existing two institutes - Cotton College and Cotton College State University, Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
“Whatever problems we had in last few years, will be settled now. We hope the faculty, students and all will take it (the new university) to new heights.” he said.With the coming into effect of the new Act, the Cotton College State University Act, 2011 shall stand repealed, he added.
The government-controlled Cotton College State University (CCSU) was established in 2011 in order to give a fillip to Cotton College.
Countering criticism for abolishing the prestigious College, Sarma told the Assam assembly “Cotton College has not vanished, but it is upgraded. I hope it will become an international institute. Assam government will give large grants to make it big.”
The new university will be set up in line with the recommendations of a government committee ehaded by Tezpur University vice-chancellor Mihir Kanit Chaudhuri, he added.
