Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet met on July 25 to finalize a major overhaul of state medical admissions and financial policies. Officials confirmed a new waiver on stamp duty for loans up to Rs 10 lakh. This applies to individual loan documents for members of self-help groups under the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission. Eligible institutions include scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks, cooperative banks, and other lenders regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.
Medical school rules are shifting. The government increased reserved seats for five indigenous communities following the launch of Pragjyotish Medical College. The Tai Ahom and Chutia communities each gained one seat, moving to 11 and 10 respectively. The Koch-Rajbongshi, Moran, and Motok communities also received one additional seat each, with the latter two now holding nine seats apiece.
State leaders prioritized vulnerable students. "We are introducing, on an experimental basis, reservation of two seats for orphaned students who have lost both their parents," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. These two spots will be adjusted against their respective social category quotas.
Rules for state quota admissions are now more flexible. Students who attended school outside Assam can now qualify for state medical seats if their families hold a three-generation residence legacy in the state. This policy specifically benefits children whose parents worked for the Central government, the military, or at Assam Bhawan.
The Cabinet also greenlit the Assam Ayurvedic Health Services Rules, 2026, to oversee the recruitment and conditions for medical officers. Property laws tightened as well. Officials made registration mandatory for development agreements, sales, short-term leases, and bank guarantees involving immovable property. Finally, the state authorized NAFED to handle the procurement of masoor dal and sugar between October 2026 and March 2027 based on open market rates.
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