First IICA regional campus to be set up in Shillong
Shillong, July 11: Laying of the foundation stone for a regional campus of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) at Umsawli, Shillong by the visiting union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has marked the enhanced importance accorded by the Centre to Meghalaya for setting up institutes of national repute.
The IICA campus to be set up in Shillong will be the first regional branch of the premier institute under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
Sitharaman termed the occasion a “remarkable day for North East”, saying the initiative is not just about hosting a conclave but about physically bringing an institution to the region.
“This permanent campus will serve as an anchor institution to help entrepreneurs, start-ups, and professionals thrive under a framework of responsible governance,” she said.
“When institutions like ICA come here, it marks a transition from decades of neglect to an era of focused attention. This is not about blaming the past—it is about acknowledging the need for foundational infrastructure, followed by institutional support, which is now becoming a reality,” she added.
Meanwhile, Sitharaman also inaugurated the IICA North East Conclave 2025- “Ideation to Incorporation” hosted in IIM Shillong.
Highlighting the entrepreneurial dynamism of the region, Sitharaman said, “Startups in the North East are rapidly emerging, aligning themselves with global demands.”
The finance minister also noted the strategic significance of the North East in the national development narrative. Quoting the Prime Minister’s vision of the “Ashta Lakshmi”, she celebrated the region’s abundance of nature, culture, strategic location, and people.
While praising digital enablement initiatives like GeM and ONDC that help local products find markets across India and globally, Sitharaman stressed that logistics and access remain key bottlenecks.
She proposed the development of shared logistics hubs to streamline movement of goods from various NE states to national and global markets.
In conclusion, the Finance Minister reiterated the Centre’s commitment to inclusive development and integration of the North East in the India@2047 vision.
She emphasized the need to reimagine development—not just as infrastructure creation, but as a comprehensive, values-driven, and locally empowering process.
“The IICA’s regional campus is not merely an academic institution—it is a symbol of the Government’s trust and belief in the region’s potential,” she stated.
Speaking on the occasion, chief minister Conrad K Sangma reflected on the significant developments in the region in recent years, saying, “Since the Hon’ble Prime Minister has taken over, we have seen the North East completely transformed.”
The chief minister too hailed the IICA Regional Campus as a critical milestone, while also stressing that its true value lies not just in infrastructure but in the outcomes it will deliver.
To facilitate capacity building, compliance training, incubation, and regional knowledge exchange collaboration, IICA also signed seven strategic MoUs with Meghalaya Administrative Training Institute (MATI), Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong, Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) and National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam.
