Himachal Pradesh Assembly Passes University Amendment Bill Amid BJP Opposition And Teachers’ Protests

The Himachal Pradesh Assembly voted to pass the Himachal Pradesh State Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by voice vote on Wednesday. The legislation faced strong opposition from BJP legislators and protests by university teachers over proposed changes to the recruitment system. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu defended the amendment, stating it aimed to ensure transparency and merit-based hiring in state universities and prevent political interference in appointments.

Under the amendment, universities will be able to directly appoint professors and associate professors, while other positions will be filled through the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) and State Selection Commission. The move is intended to bring transparency to university recruitment and prevent irregularities like those reported during the previous government.

However, the bill was opposed by the CPI(M) and the Himachal Pradesh University Teachers Welfare Association, who argued that transferring teacher recruitment powers to the HPPSC would undermine university autonomy. They called for an independent inquiry into allegations of recruitment irregularities and claimed the bill would weaken academic freedom and institutional identity. Despite the opposition, the bill was ultimately passed.