Shimla, September 2: The Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh State University (Amendment) Bill, 2026, by voice vote on Wednesday.
With this bill’s approval, the recruitment of professors and other staff at all six government universities in the state is now set to proceed. These appointments will be conducted through the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) and the State Selection Commission.
However, the recruitment of associate professors will continue to be managed by the respective universities.
According to the bill, the state’s Finance Secretary, Abhishek Jain, will serve as the chairperson of the finance committees for all six universities. Additionally, the Executive Council (EC) of the universities will be required to accept recommendations from the committee chaired by the Finance Secretary regarding financial matters.
In response to the discussion on the bill, Chief Minister Sukhu indicated that the state government is also considering conducting recruitment for third and fourth-grade positions through the selection commission or a similar body.
He further mentioned that the government is exploring the possibility of having private university exams conducted by a nodal agency.
The Chief Minister asserted that the implementation of this bill would ensure accountability within the finance committees. He claimed that recruitment through the selection commission would enhance transparency in the process, allowing for the selection of qualified candidates based on merit, ultimately benefiting the youth.
During the discussion, BJP MLA Randhir Sharma criticized the bill, labeling it an attack on university autonomy. He pointed out that universities receive funding not only from the state government but also from the University Grants Commission (UGC). Therefore, he urged the government to consider the potential impact of the bill on UGC funding.
Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur argued that the bill would not withstand legal scrutiny, alleging that several of the state government’s previous bills had been struck down by the courts.
In response, Chief Minister Sukhu acknowledged that while one or two of his government’s bills had indeed been rejected, the opposition seemed to forget that many bills from the previous BJP government also faced similar fates in court.
The discussion also saw political exchanges between Chief Minister Sukhu and Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur on various issues, including paper leaks.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani, and MLAs Vipin Singh Parmar, Trilok Jamwal, Harish Janartha, and Suresh Kumar also participated in the discussion.
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