Educational Outreach Programme at Indian Immigration Office, Jaigaon
02-10-2026
On 30 September 2026, students of B.A. LL.B. (Hons.), Semester III, Indian Institute of Legal Studies, Cooch Behar, undertook an Educational Outreach Programme at the Indian Immigration Office, Jaigaon, followed by a field survey of the border area on the Indian side. The programme was organised as part of their academic engagement with Political Science – III and focused on the theme “Impact of the 1949 Indo-Bhutan Treaty of Friendship (Revised 2007) on Immigration Governance.”
During the visit to the Immigration Office, the students interacted with officials and gained practical knowledge of immigration procedures and cross-border movement between India and Bhutan. The interaction helped the students understand the relationship between the Indo-Bhutan Treaty of Friendship and immigration governance in the border region.
The major observations during the visit included:
1. The documentation and identity verification procedures followed for Indian and Bhutanese nationals crossing the border.
2. The day-to-day coordination between the concerned Indian authorities in facilitating and managing cross-border movement.
3. The volume and general pattern of people crossing from Jaigaon towards Bhutan.
4. The role of the open border in facilitating local trade and business activities in the border town.
5. Interaction with local vendors in Jaigaon to understand how cross-border movement affects their livelihoods, trade and daily economic activities.
6. The practical relationship between the Indo-Bhutan Treaty and the social and economic life of people residing and working in the border area.
The field survey enabled the students to observe the border environment and understand the relationship between immigration governance, local commerce and everyday life. The programme provided students with practical exposure to how an international legal framework operates through administrative institutions and influences the social and economic realities of a border community.
The programme was conducted under the guidance of Mr. Sagar Prasad, Assistant Professor of Political Science, with Mr. Soumyajit Mukherjee, Assistant Professor of Law, accompanying the students for academic support, coordination and supervision.
