Assam Cabinet approves key decisions including 4,669 contractual new recruitment drive for teachers

Guwahati: The Assam government has made the decision to formalize the employment of a minimum of 4,669 temporary teachers who have been working in high schools throughout the state for over 14 years. In 2010, the Congress administration hired a minimum of 8,000 teachers on a contractual basis to provide instruction in subjects such as English, Mathematics, and General Science at high schools throughout Assam.

Nevertheless, numerous individuals departed in the past, and at present, there are 4,669 teachers employed on temporary contracts. Initially, they received Rs 8000 per month as payment but this was later increased to Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per month. During a late meeting on Friday night, the Assam Cabinet determined to convert the positions of temporary teachers to permanent.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that under the Congress regime, high school teachers were hired as contract workers. In 2021, the BJP government prolonged the duration of contractual teachers' service until they reach 60 years old and provided them with several benefits equivalent to those of permanent teachers. There are a total of 4,669 educators employed across various high schools in the state. The Cabinet has decided to make their positions permanent. In the coming ten days, the education department will release an advertisement on this matter. "On the other hand, the contract teachers have the option to select from two choices." If someone desires to remain in their current position, they are welcome to do that. He added that contractual teachers are not required to do this exercise and can choose to move to permanent positions voluntarily.

For the past three years, those temporary teachers were being paid the same salaries as regular teachers. Nevertheless, they lacked certain advantages and according to the state government's recent decision, they will now function as full-fledged teachers in the schools. Recently, the Assam government made the jobs of approximately 25,000 teachers in primary schools official.