Assam govt mulls cluster-based cadre to address teacher shortage, over 35,000 transfers made

Guwahati, March 26: Admitting that the pupil-teacher ratio was high in some western Assam districts and char areas, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu to-day said the government was weighing different options like creating a "cluster-based" cadre of teachers by recruiting local youths so that they can serve in their respective places.

Pegu also said even as the State law allows teachers who served in a particular place for 10 years to be eligible to be transferred, his department was forced to put applications in some districts like Dhubri, Barpeta and Mankachar on hold as no replacement could be found.

"The government has approved their transfers, but we can release them only when we get replacement," Pegu told the State Assembly during a discussion on the education sector.

He said discussions have been held with the Chief Minister and the government was toying with the idea of creating a cluster-based cadre of teachers.

"We are not getting enough teachers from ward districts, char areas. We are discussing if we can recruit teachers from these areas by giving the applicants some extra marks during the interviews. This cadre will be non-transferable and they will have to serve within a specific cluster," Pegu said.

He said the government was also exploring the idea of providing 'internship' and 'fellowship' to teachers.

"If we can get some PG students to serve in schools as part of an internship or provide fellowships to new PG students to serve in schools for one year, we can narrow down this PTR further," he said.

The Education Minister said as part of the rationalization exercise taken up by the government, some 35,000 teachers have been transferred.

He also urged the legislators to communicate in-stances of teacher shortage in institutions to the district administration.