Opposition parties in Tripura, including the Congress and CPI(M), staged a walkout in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, protesting the introduction of three bills for establishing private universities.
The opposition raised concerns that these universities lack proper scrutiny and have not received approval from the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The bills under discussion are:
Science Technology and Allied Skill University, Tripura Bill, 2026
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Skill University, Tripura Bill, 2025
International University, Tripura Bill, 2025
During the sixth day of the Assembly session, Speaker Rampada Jamatia read the bills for passage. CPI(M) MLA and Leader of the Opposition, Jitendra Chaudhury, questioned the transparency of the proposals. He noted that the Science Technology and Allied Skill University bill did not provide sufficient details about the sponsoring organization, the Bharat Educational and Cultural Trust of Hapur, including its location and credentials.
Chaudhury said, “The first paragraph of the bill is unclear. While it mentions the Bharat Educational and Cultural Trust, it does not specify the state it operates in or its background. Suddenly, the trust is allowed to open a university. The government has already permitted four universities since the 13th Assembly session, yet infrastructure and faculty are still absent. Despite this, they offer a wide range of courses, including Ph.D. programs. This is quantity-driven education, not quality, which could be detrimental.”
He urged that the bills be referred to a select committee to verify the organizations’ credentials and ensure they can deliver quality education.
Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman also criticized the process, pointing out that one of the bills had been passed in May 2025 before Kishore Barman became Higher Education Minister. He questioned the credibility of the Bharat Educational and Cultural Trust, calling it “essentially a consultancy service,” similar to private agencies in Agartala managing admissions. He added, “There is no UGC approval, no NIRF ranking, and their contact numbers in Truecaller are linked to plywood sellers. This university cannot be found online. These bills should be withdrawn, and accountability must be fixed.”
In response, Higher Education Minister Kishore Barman defended the bills, stating that all UGC guidelines had been followed and the cabinet had conducted thorough scrutiny. “Contrary to what Sudip Roy Barman mentioned about Vista University, all parameters are being verified even after cabinet approval. These three private university bills have been carefully examined to ensure proper systems are in place,” he said.
As the Assembly prepared to pass the bills, opposition members protested from the well and eventually walked out, bringing the session to a tense pause.
