Assam government to create 35,000 teacher posts in special drive for SSA regularization

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on June 27 that the state government has launched a special recruitment initiative aimed at regularizing 35,000 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers currently serving on a contractual basis. This decision comes in response to a Supreme Court order preventing the direct regularization of contractual teachers through cabinet decisions.

"We have decided to open 35,000 new vacancies for regular teachers under SSA, exclusively for contractual teachers to apply," stated Mr. Sarma during a press briefing. He said that once these positions are filled, the existing 35,000 contractual teacher posts will be phased out.

The initiative is part of the government's commitment to improve the quality of education in Assam and address longstanding concerns regarding job security for SSA teachers. Sarma highlighted that the state cabinet's decision aims to resolve the protracted issue surrounding SSA teachers promptly, with the recruitment process expected to conclude within 4 to 5 months.

In addition to educational reforms, the cabinet also addressed concerns regarding excessive fines imposed on two-wheelers and three-wheelers by various enforcement agencies. "Henceforth, fines for two-wheelers will be limited to helmet violations, while three-wheelers will only face fines after repeated offenses," Sarma clarified, noting that such fines contributed minimally to state revenue but had created an impression of burdening poorer vehicle owners.