GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday handed over appointment letters to 8,206 newly recruited candidates under the Directorate of Higher Education, Directorate of Secondary Education, and the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) during a ceremony held at the Veterinary Science College Playground in Khanapara. The event marked another milestone in the government's commitment to provide two lakh jobs to the state's youth.
Among the recruits, 263 were appointed as Assistant Professors and 110 as Grade-III employees under the Directorate of Higher Education, while 1,275 Postgraduate Teachers and 6,522 Graduate Teachers were appointed under the Directorate of Secondary Education. Additionally, 28 candidates joined as Lecturers in District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET), and eight as Assistant Directors under SCERT. With these appointments, the total number of government jobs offered through transparent and merit-based recruitment during the present administration reached 1,34,999.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Sarma congratulated the new appointees, saying they had earned their success through hard work and perseverance. He remarked that obtaining a government job without paying a single rupee was an achievement worth celebrating and reflected the government's dedication to meritocracy. He urged the new teachers to devote themselves to nation-building and find fulfilment in the success of their students.
Reflecting on past challenges, the Chief Minister said that before 2011, the education sector suffered from political interference and nepotism in recruitment. Colleges often appointed multiple teachers against a single sanctioned post, compromising the system's integrity. As Education Minister, Dr Sarma had introduced the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) and reformed the recruitment process to ensure transparency and fairness. He noted that these reforms allowed thousands of young people from humble backgrounds to secure teaching jobs purely on merit.
Dr Sarma highlighted that his government had exceeded its pre-election promise of providing one lakh government jobs, reaching nearly 1.35 lakh appointments without any allegations of corruption. He described the occasion as a celebration of Assam's intellectual strength and said that transparent recruitment had contributed to rising student enrolment in colleges and improved educational outcomes in national indices.
The Chief Minister also announced that, for the first time, mathematics teachers had been appointed in secondary schools. He encouraged the new recruits to make learning mathematics enjoyable, stressing its importance for students aspiring to study in medical and engineering colleges, AIIMS, and the upcoming IIM in Assam.
He further mentioned that new industries, including semiconductor, thermal power, and bamboo-based ethanol projects, were creating opportunities for skilled youth. The government, he added, planned to send qualified Assamese youth abroad to boost foreign exchange inflow into the state.
Concluding his address, Dr Sarma urged the appointees to always respect their parents, saying their blessings were essential for success and could create miracles in life.
The ceremony was attended by Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu, Cooperation Minister Jogen Mohan, Public Health Engineering Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, Power Minister Prasanta Phukan, Fisheries Minister Krishnaendu Paul, MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi, and senior officials from the Education Department.
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