IICA to Establish First Northeast Campus in Shillong

Shillong:  The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has acquired a five-acre land parcel in New Shillong Township, Meghalaya, to establish its first regional campus in Northeast India. The initiative, supported by a ₹100.95-crore investment under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North-East (PM-DevINE), will create a regional hub for training, research, and policy advisory in corporate governance, ESG, CSR, insolvency, bankruptcy, competition law, and board leadership.

The land-transfer ceremony was attended by Meghalaya Chief Secretary Donald Phillips Wahlang, Ministry of Corporate Affairs Secretary Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, IICA Director General & CEO Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary Inderdeep Singh Dhariwal, and Commissioner & Secretary of Meghalaya’s Planning Department C.V.D. Diengdoh and other officials. The transfer was formalised by K. Hynniewta, Joint Secretary of Meghalaya’s Planning Department, and Shekhar Srivastava, Deputy Secretary of the Government of India.

Wahlang noted the campus’s location within Shillong’s Knowledge City, which includes institutions like IIM Shillong, National Law University Meghalaya, and NIFT, stating it supports “Meghalaya’s commitment to knowledge-led growth.” He added that a planned airport in Shillong will enhance regional connectivity, improving access for professionals and students.

Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh described the campus as “our first baby outside Delhi—a symbol of decentralisation and empowerment,” emphasising its role in supporting entrepreneurship and governance. He referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of the Northeast as the “Ashtalakshmi of India,” noting the region’s diversity and potential. Singh further stated, “This initiative resonates deeply with our Prime Minister’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’. Our campus in Shillong is not just an expansion—it is a commitment to ‘Transformation by Transportation,’ as the PM rightly envisioned, where infrastructure and knowledge institutions together pave the way for peace, prosperity, and purpose.”

Deepti Gaur Mukerjee acknowledged the Meghalaya government’s support, stating, “This partnership reflects the spirit of cooperative federalism and the Centre’s vision of empowering the North-East as a growth engine for New India.”

IICA plans to launch academic and advisory programmes within the current financial year, with construction starting immediately. The institute has previously trained over 300 professionals in the Northeast and manages the Independent Director Databank, which includes representation from all Northeastern states. IICA aims to collaborate with state universities and institutions in the Knowledge City to deliver programmes tailored to the region’s socio-economic needs.

The campus’s establishment aligns with national priorities such as Ease of Doing Business, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and Vikshit Bharat @ 2047, though specific details on its operational scope and timeline are still forthcoming.

The Shillong campus will begin academic and advisory programs within the current financial year, with construction starting immediately. IICA has previously trained over 300 professionals in the Northeast and manages the Independent Director Databank, which includes representation from all Northeastern states. The institute plans to collaborate with state universities and institutions in the Knowledge City to deliver tailored training, policy support, and capacity-building initiatives addressing the region’s socio-economic needs.

This development marks IICA’s first expansion beyond its Delhi headquarters, aiming to foster ethical entrepreneurship, skilled professionals, and responsible leadership in the Northeast. Further details on the campus’s operational scope and timeline are yet to be released.

– global bihari bureau