Creation of headmasters’ posts will be completed by March 2025: Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: State Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said on Thursday that the creation of headmasters’ posts in primary schools and the regularization of contractual teacher posts will be completed in this financial year.

Minister Pegu said, "The cabinet has already decided that regular head teacher's posts will be created based on the number of students enrolled in a particular school. We will create posts of headmasters in schools with more than 100 students. This creation of posts of head teachers and headmasters will be completed in this financial year. Although the new financial year started in April, the process for creation of posts has been kept on hold due to the imposition of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha election. After relaxation of the model code of conduct, the process will be started."

Regarding the regularization of contractual teacher posts, the minister said that the education department had given options to contractual teachers under Samagra Shiksha, Assam (SSA), and state pool teachers for regularization of their posts. He added that a maximum number of contractual teachers have opted to be regularized and SSA has already provided the department with a list of the teachers who have opted to become regularized. Contractual teachers get a scale pay along with DA, like regular employees, but they do not get the benefit of pensions. However, in the event of their becoming regular teachers, they will be deprived of an increment in their salaries, and their new career will start from the date of joining as regular teachers. They will also avail themselves of the facility of a pension. On the other hand, those who do not opt to be regularized will remain contractual teachers and derive the benefits given to such contractual teachers, he added.

There are 35,000 contractual teachers in the state, according to the School Education Department. Of this, 25,500 are contractual teachers under SSA, while 9,500 are state pool teachers. It was a long-pending demand of teacher organizations for the creation of headmaster posts in primary schools and regularization of contractual teachers without depriving them of increments and affecting their careers.

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