The Assam Basic Education Act was passed in the year 1954. After Independence Basic education was accepted as the national pattern of education at the elementary level. So, Assam legislative assembly passed the Assam Basic Education Act in 1954. It identified five different types of schools and provided more power to Government in administration of education system in the state.
The Assam Basic Education Act 1954 provided for the Constitution of a state Board for Basic education to advise the government on matters such as making grants to schools, control and management, recruitment and service condition of teachers, selection of text books, training of teachers etc.
The Assam Basic Education Act 1954 recognised different categories of schools as Basic schools: a) All Government M.V. School, b) All M.V. schools managed by private bodies, c) All primary schools, d) All basic schools and e) Any private elementary schools. The state government was empowered to impose an educational tax in any area for the purpose of this Act and can make rules regarding the age of a child, the curriculum, duration and standard etc.
This Act introduced certain changes in the administration by entrusting more power on the Government. But just like in other Indian states, the system of Basic education failed in Assam. The Basic Education system was considered to be impractical and insufficient to meet the demands of the modern society.