The Chancellor who is a Cinderella Man

Mahbubul Hoque Chancellor of the USTM was  born  in a rural family in the remote Purabgul village in Assam’s Karimganj district. He had a turbulent early life as he lost his parents and supportive elder brother during childhood. He had to earn by doing private tuition and selling homegrown vegetables in the local market to continue his studies.

But despite all these impediments Hoque completed his B.Sc. and MCA from the prestigious Aligarh

Muslim University in 2000 and came back to his native place with a vision. In spite of extreme financial constraints even then, he had started his entrepreneurial journey with just one computer, 4 students, and Rs 84 in his pocket in 2001, rejecting lucrative job offers to him.  Over  the  course of twenty-two years, Hoque’s achievements have been nothing short of extraordinary. Driven  by  his  vision for educational transformation among rural students, he established the Education Research and Development Foundation (ERDF) Guwahati in 2005.

A number of pioneer educational institutions have been created under ERDF catering education from KG to PG to Ph.D. through two CBSE affiliated Senior Secondary Schools, one AICTE approved Engineering College, two PCI approved Pharmacy Colleges, one BCI approved Law School, one AICTE approved Business School, one NCTE-approved B. Ed. College, one Women’s College, and his largest dream venture USTM. Out of 9000+ students in these institutions, 57% are girl students, 80% from rural areas and nearly 20% of total students getting either free or concessional education where nearly 1000+ teaching, administrative and non-teaching staff are shouldering their services for the growth of institutions. One of the most important features of the USTM is that more than 30 community and tribal students from the whole of the North Eastern states are studying in the university.