Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that his government plans to recruit over 50,000 youths in the Education Department alone if the ruling dispensation is returned to power for another term. The Chief Minister emphasised that these recruitments would continue the state’s ongoing reforms for transparent and speedy government hiring.

This significant announcement, made during the Budget Session 2026 of the Assam Legislative Assembly, underscores the state government’s focus on employment generation and strengthening the education sector. The proposed recruitment drive aims to address existing teacher vacancies and provide substantial job opportunities for the state’s youth.

What was announced

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on Thursday, February 19, 2026, during the Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, that his government intends to appoint more than 50,000 individuals in the Education Department in its next term. Sarma highlighted the government’s commitment to maintaining and enhancing the transparency and efficiency measures already implemented in government recruitment processes.

“In the next term, our government will appoint more than 50,000 youths in the Education Department alone. The major changes brought in to ensure transparency and speed in government recruitment will continue with full commitment,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Why it matters

The proposed recruitment of over 50,000 teachers is a substantial move that could significantly impact Assam’s education landscape and youth employment. According to Assam Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, more than 30,000 teaching posts are currently vacant across government and provincialised schools in the state. These vacancies include 11,662 assistant teachers in lower primary schools, 4,315 assistant teachers in upper primary schools, and 10,005 graduate teachers.

This initiative would not only help fill critical gaps in the teaching workforce but also provide a major boost to employment for educated youth in Assam. The state has faced a challenge with educated unemployment, with nearly 10 lakh educated youths registered in employment exchanges in 2022, a seven-fold increase from 2021. The Chief Minister’s emphasis on transparent recruitment processes aims to build public trust and ensure merit-based selections.

Background

The Assam government has consistently prioritised employment generation and educational reforms. Since 2021, the state has successfully provided over 97,000 government jobs and aims to add another 50,000 positions, bringing the total to 1.5 lakh jobs. Chief Minister Sarma had previously pledged to create one lakh government jobs, a target he announced was surpassed with 1,24,345 appointments made by September 2024.

In July 2024, the government announced a major recruitment drive to fill approximately 35,000 government vacancies across various sectors, including education, by April 2025. This included plans to recruit over 13,000 teachers for elementary and secondary schools. Furthermore, in June 2024, the Assam Cabinet approved a special recruitment drive to regularise approximately 35,133 contractual Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers and state pool teachers.

The state has also focused on improving educational infrastructure, with 98.47 percent of government schools having electricity and 100 percent coverage of girls’ toilets by July 2026. The government has also invested in digital learning facilities in 91.5 percent of eligible schools. In July 2025, the Chief Minister announced a plan to invest ₹2,750 crore over five years to overhaul school infrastructure, enhance early childhood education, and reduce dropout rates, including establishing 400 new schools and 1,733 Anganwadi Centres.

The government has also enacted legislation like The Assam Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2024, to ensure transparency and prevent malpractices in recruitment. Chief Minister Sarma has often criticised previous recruitment processes, describing them as opaque and prone to corruption, and has highlighted his government’s efforts to establish a merit-based system.

Key details

The announcement specifically targets the Education Department, with over 50,000 vacancies planned. This recruitment is contingent on the current government being re-elected for another term. The Chief Minister has consistently linked such large-scale recruitment drives with the government’s broader agenda of transparent and efficient hiring practices, aiming to eliminate corruption and ensure merit-based selections.

What’s next

The fulfillment of this recruitment plan is directly tied to the outcome of the next state assembly elections. If the current government secures another term, the process for recruiting over 50,000 teachers in the Education Department is expected to commence, building upon the existing framework of transparent recruitment drives. The government has already constituted a high-powered Task Force, headed by the Chief Secretary, to prepare a roadmap for its broader employment targets.

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