State education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is in charge of health and PWD as well, has made a number of announcements in recent press conferences that are targeted to improve the state’s education scenario.
These include 25% extra seats in colleges and also a number of medical colleges to enable students to get better access to quality education.
22,000 female students to be awarded Scooties for securing first division
22,000 female students who secured first division in higher secondary examination 2020 will be awarded with 'scooties' this year.
Education Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a press conference on 18th August last, informed that although the state government had decided to present all such students with electric scooters earlier and was presented in this year's budget, the same has now been found to be unfeasible.
"Many students might not be able to charge the scooty regularly and its speed is also limited to 30 to 40 kms per hour. So we will now be providing the regular petrol scooties," said Sarma.
However, if any female student wishes to receive an electric scooty over an automated petrol vehicle, they may do so. The government will be launching a new website - sebaonline.org - whereby the students may choose to mention their choice of the variant.
However, if anybody fails to do so, she will be awarded with the automatic petrol scooty, he added.
It should be mentioned that the students will have to bear the cost of registration and will not be able to sell the vehicles for 3 years.
Over 7,000 teachers posts to be filled soon
Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a press conference, informed that 7,440 posts will be advertised for those who have cleared Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET).
They will be employed within the next 3 to 4 months, informed Sarma, education minister of Assam.
On 27th August, the state government will be hosting a programme at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra to hand over the appointment letters of the Lower Primary (LP) and Middle English (ME) school teachers who have already cleared the TET exams.
“However, only 300 teachers will be invited as representatives to the program, keeping COVID-19 protocols in minds. The others can check and download their appointment letters from the website,” Sarma added.
Assam govt urges all colleges to increase UG seats by 25%
The state government has urged all colleges of the state to increase their undergraduate seats by 25 percent this year. The entire 25 percent seats will be reserved for students from Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher secondary exams conducted by CBSE could not be completed entirely. As such, the marks given by the board are just 'projected marks'. On the other hand, AHSEC managed to complete all the examinations and their marks are 'actual',” stated Himanta Biswa Sarma, the health, finance and education minister of Assam.
Reportedly, the marks secured by CBSE students are more than that scored by the ASHEC students, making it easier for the CBSE students to take admissions.
"Considering that the many students of the state council are not being able to take admission, we have asked the colleges to increase their seat capacity by 25 percent only for this year. All these seats will be reserved for state council students only," said Himanta Biswa Sarma in a press conference on 18th August.
Teachers, official employees of educational institutes to join office on 1st Sept
All teachers and other official employees of educational institutions in Assam, from primary school to universities, will have to mandatorily take COVID-19 tests between 21st and 30th of August. On being found negative, they will have to join the office on 1st September with their negative result report.
"I understand that many have left for home from their respective place of work during this pandemic. But they should come back and join office mandatorily on 1st September," said Himanta Biswa Sarma on August 18.
'Leave without pay' will be implemented on any teacher or other official employee who fails to join duty on 1st September.
More than 300 educational institutes, 3,980 teachers to be provincialized
In a press interaction on 18th August, state education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that a total of 300 private educational institutes of Assam would be made public and a list of the schools will soon be released.
"For the first time, we will be releasing the list of schools to be provincialized. 197 high schools, 9 higher secondary schools, and 149 senior secondary schools and 27 colleges have been marked for the same," said Sarma.
Apart from these, 3,049 teachers under secondary education and 931 teachers under higher education have also been provincialized.
The list may be checked in the following websites - madhyamik.assam.gov.in and directorateofhighereducation.assam.gov.in.
The second list of provincialization will be published in the first week of November and improved salaries of all will be calculated from 1st January, 2020.
Assam to get two medical colleges every year
Two medical colleges will be set up in Assam every year, said health, education, and finance minister of the state, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Sarma was briefing the media at the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital on August 20, where he ceremonially distributed appointment letters to 201 staff nurses of the newly constructed Lakhimpur Medical College.
Constructed at a cost of Rs. 378 crores, Lakhimpur Medical College will start from November 2020.
"After Lakhimpur, Dhubri and Nagaon Medical College will start from next year," said Sarma.
The minister also announced that Biswanath Chariali, Goalpara, Karimganj and Charaideo will also have medical colleges soon.