By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Aug 12: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi did not lose any opportunity to again snub at State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. During the distribution of appointment letters to 14, 646 TET candidates at the Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi chose to give credit to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the massive recruitment drive of candidates who have cleared the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET).

While speaking at the function, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the massive recruitment of around 40,000 TET candidates was indeed an achievement for him and the State Education Department. It may be mentioned here that 26,100 TET candidates had been issued appointment letters on May 20 this year.

When it was Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s turn to speak, he said, “The credit for this massive recruitment of teachers goes to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for implementing the Right to Education Act, 2009.  Had this Act not been implemented, this recruitment drive would not have been possible. Also, we have to thank the Centre for giving us the funds to recruit so many teachers. The State Government could manage to arrange only 10 per cent of the fund.”

Gogoi further said, “Our present system of education is not the route to development. We need practical knowledge and for this we have to change the syllabus. If the education system changes, positive changes can be brought into the society.”

The Chief Minister distributed appointment letters to the first four TET candidates – Jyotiprasad Sarma, Jutika Mahanta, Anamika Bhattacharyya and Samarjit Sarma. The 14,646 candidates who got their appointment letters today will have to attend a training programme on August 25 and will have to join duty from September 1.

The Education Minister said that the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) for high schools across the State would be held on December 9 this year.

“There are now only 2,001 TET-qualified candidates who have not been appointment but they need not worry as they will get their appointment soon. For all the TET candidates who have been appointed on contractual basis, if they want to be appointed on permanent basis they will have to complete the Diploma in Education course. All those who have been appointed will be paid through cheques between the first day to the third day of every month,” added Sarma.