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Guwahati— Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma is among only two Chief Ministers in the country to hold a doctorate degree, according to a fresh analysis released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The other Chief Minister with a doctoral qualification is Dr. Mohan Yadav of Madhya Pradesh. This distinction places Sarma in a unique position among his counterparts, as most of the present Chief Ministers have comparatively lower educational qualifications.
The ADR report studied the profiles of 30 Chief Ministers from 27 State Assemblies and 3 Union Territories. The findings reveal that one Chief Minister has studied up to Class 10, three are Class 12 pass, nine are graduates, eight hold postgraduate degrees, and one holds a diploma. Only two, including Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, possess a doctorate degree, making him part of a very exclusive group.
Along with educational background, the ADR analysis also examined the declared assets of Chief Ministers. The combined assets of all 30 leaders amount to ₹1,632 crore. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu topped the list with assets worth more than ₹931 crore, followed by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu with over ₹332 crore. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stood third with assets of more than ₹51 crore.
In contrast, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee declared the lowest assets of around ₹15 lakh, while Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reported assets of approximately ₹50 lakh and ₹1 crore respectively.
Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been serving as the Chief Minister of Assam since 2021, finds his place at the ninth position in terms of assets with a declared worth of more than ₹17 crore.