Assam Renames Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College as Barpeta Medical College

The Assam government has approved a proposal to rename Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital (FAAMCH) in Barpeta as Barpeta Medical College and Hospital. The decision was taken during a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and announced after the cabinet session.

Assam Cabinet Decision on Medical College Renaming

The cabinet’s decision seeks to standardise the naming of medical institutions in the state. According to the chief minister, most government medical colleges in Assam are named after the geographical location of the district or city where they are located. Before announcing the decision, the government reviewed the naming pattern of other state institutions. Examples cited include medical colleges in Guwahati, Dhubri, Silchar, Bongaigaon, Biswanath, and Sonitpur, which follow the location-based naming convention. Key points highlighted by the state government include:

• The Barpeta institution previously carried the name of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
• Other government medical colleges in Assam generally follow place-based names
• The cabinet aimed to maintain uniformity across institutions

Based on these considerations, the government approved renaming the college as Barpeta Medical College and Hospital.

Reason Cited by Government

State officials said the earlier name sometimes led to confusion among patients and visitors, with some assuming the institute might be a private medical college because it was named after an individual. The government stated that adopting a location-based name would help ensure clarity and consistency in the state’s medical education institutions.

Plan to Honour Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

While announcing the decision, the chief minister said the government would continue to recognise the contribution of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, who served as India’s fifth President and the first from Assam. The cabinet indicated that another educational or cultural institution of equal or higher stature may be named after him in the future to honour his legacy.

Background of the Medical College

The medical college in Barpeta is a government medical institution established in 2011 and affiliated with the Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences. It currently offers MBBS and postgraduate medical programmes and serves as an important healthcare and training centre in the region