The Meghalaya Cabinet held its meeting on August 19, 2026, at the Chief Minister’s Residence, with six formal agenda items discussed, all pertaining to the Education Department.
The Cabinet considered three amendment bills, two new university bills, and one repeal bill.
The first agenda was the Maharashtra Institute of Technology of Meghalaya (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The amendment seeks to bring the university’s Act in line with UGC norms and the provisions followed by other universities in the state. Under the existing Act, the Visitor is decided by the sponsoring body. The amendment will make the Governor the Visitor of the university.
The Bill also proposes increasing government representation in the university’s governing bodies. Government representation on the Board of Management will increase from one member to two, while representation on the Board of Governors will increase from two members to three.
The second agenda was the Mahatma Gandhi University (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Similar amendments are being proposed in the Act governing the university. The Governor will be designated as the Visitor, replacing the existing provision under which the Visitor is determined by the sponsoring body. The amendments will also increase government representation on the Board of Management and the Board of Governors.
The third agenda was the Martin Luther Christian University (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The proposed amendments seek to bring the university’s functioning in line with UGC regulations.
One of the key changes is to restrict the university’s jurisdiction to Meghalaya. The existing Act allows the university to function outside the state, but the state legislature cannot authorize a university to operate beyond its jurisdiction.
The amendment also removes provisions relating to distance education, which are not permitted under the applicable regulations for a private university.
Another proposed change concerns the affiliation of colleges. The existing Act allows Martin Luther Christian University to affiliate colleges, but this provision is not in accordance with UGC norms. The amendment will therefore remove the provision allowing such affiliation.
The fourth agenda was the Sister Nivedita University Meghalaya Bill, 2026.
This is a new university proposed to be established at Byrnihat. The Cabinet considered the proposal for bringing the new university under a fresh legislation.
The fifth agenda was another new university bill, the Khasi Hills International Open University Meghalaya Bill.
The proposal had earlier come before the state legislature, with the legislation passed in 2011. However, no further action was taken for several years. In 2022, individuals came forward with a power of attorney in connection with the university, but subsequent developments revealed a conflict concerning the matter.
The Cabinet also raised concerns over the name and nature of the proposed institution. The term “International Open University” was viewed as inconsistent with UGC norms, particularly with regard to the concept of an open university.
In order to avoid potential legal and regulatory complications in the future, the Cabinet decided to repeal the legislation.