Himachal Assembly passes university amendment bill amid BJP opposition

The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed the Himachal Pradesh State University (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by voice vote amid opposition from the BJP leaders. The Bill clears the path for conducting recruitments across all six government universities in Himachal Pradesh through the State Public Service Commission and the State Selection Commission. However, the universities would have the power to appoint professors and associate professors, while the commissions will handle the rest of the recruitments. Following the Bill's passage, the state's finance secretary will chair the finance committees of all six universities.

The executive council (EC) must accept the recommendations of the committee headed by the finance secretary regarding financial matters. The Assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh State University (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, after a debate lasting approximately two hours. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the Bill to the House for a vote. While replying to the discussion, Sukhu said that the government should consider conducting recruitment for Class III and Class IV posts in the Legislative Assembly and the High Court through the State Selection Commission or another agency. Mentioning that the government is contemplating conducting examinations for private universities through a nodal agency, he said that passing this Bill would establish financial accountability for the finance committees.

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He asserted that recruitment through the commission would bring transparency and ensure selection based on merit, ultimately benefiting the state's youth. himacTermed the bill an assault on university autonomy, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma, during discussion on the Bill pointed out that universities receive grants not only from the state government but also from the University Grant Commission (UGC). Consequently, the government needs to consider the implications for UGC grants following the Bill's passage. Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur said the Bill would not stand up to legal scrutiny and added that several government bills have been struck down by the courts in the past also. Addressing this issue, Sukhu remarked that while the courts had set aside one or two of their bills and some were pending with the Governor, critics were overlooking the number of bills struck down during the previous government's tenure. An exchange of words took place between Sukhu and the LoP regarding the paper leak case.

The Assembly also passed, by a voice vote, an amendment to the 2007 Act governing the use of roads and facilities for pedestrians in Shimla and the Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill. Later, talking to the media, Sukhu said that henceforth, appointments in universities will be made based on merit and a transparent selection process. He emphasised that the government's objective is to eliminate political recommendations and interference, thereby providing equal opportunities to deserving youth. The chief minister alleged that in many instances, governments appointed their favoured individuals to positions like Vice-Chancellor, who subsequently facilitated employment for specific individuals.