Cabinet approves major student-teacher welfare measures; eases transfers, cuts fees
Govt also reduces mandatory service period for teachers under the Education for All campaign from five years to three
Image from the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister of Assam (Photo: @ATULBORA2/x)
Guwahati, Oct 6: From reducing training fees to announcing free bicycles and easing transfer norms for female educators, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s Cabinet on Monday cleared a series of key decisions aimed at benefiting students and teachers across the state.
Easing transfer norms for female teachers serving in South Salmara and Dhubri districts, the government has allowed their transfer to home districts or nearby locations irrespective of post availability.
“Teachers who have completed five years of service away from home in these two districts can now apply for transfers irrespective of post availability,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced, after the Cabinet meeting at Lok Sewa Bhawan.
Responding to another long-pending demand, the government also reduced the mandatory service period under the Education for All campaign from five years to three.
“This will help teachers qualify sooner for government school appointments and special recruitment drives,” Sarma said.
The Cabinet also gave its nod to a reduction in annual course fees for Industry 4.0 trade training under Tata Technologies, from Rs 14,000 to Rs 11,000. “This will provide much-needed financial relief to thousands of students and their families,” the Chief Minister said.
Each year, about 2,000 students pursue advanced technical training in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and polytechnics across Assam under a Rs 3,000-crore investment partnership.
“We want to ensure that financial constraints never come in the way of skill development and future employability of our youth,” Sarma added.
In another move to support students, the government approved Rs 126 crore to reimburse admission fees of 1,75,817 students recently enrolled in undergraduate courses under the free admission scheme.
The Cabinet also decided to distribute free bicycles to 3,11,614 Class IX students in government schools across the state, with Rs 130 crore earmarked for the project.