Guwahati: The Assam Education Department today announced that all pending salaries for teachers appointed through the Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) will be cleared by August 11, 2026. Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu affirmed that the long-standing issue affecting thousands of teachers has been resolved, bringing relief to the educators.

This decision addresses a critical concern for approximately 15,000 SRD teachers across the state, many of whom had faced delays in receiving their remuneration. The clearance of pending dues is expected to alleviate financial uncertainties and boost the morale of the teaching fraternity, which had recently engaged in protests over the payment mechanism.

What was announced

Assam Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu confirmed on Tuesday that all outstanding salaries for teachers recruited under the Special Recruitment Drive would be disbursed by the end of the day. Speaking to mediapersons, Dr. Pegu stated that the issue concerning the salaries of these teachers, who were initially appointed on a contractual basis and later regularised, has been successfully resolved.

The Minister highlighted that out of the approximately 15,000 SRD teachers, about 200 to 250 individuals had not received their salaries due to specific errors or issues in their bank account details. Dr. Pegu assured that these discrepancies would also be rectified promptly to ensure all affected teachers receive their due payments.

In addition to the salary clearance, Dr. Pegu also announced that the state would issue a notification for a new teacher transfer process today. This new system will allow eligible teachers to apply for mutual transfers through a dedicated online portal.

Why it matters

The clearance of pending salaries holds significant importance for the thousands of SRD teachers who have been grappling with financial instability due to delayed payments. These teachers, many of whom resigned from previous contractual positions under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to join the Directorate of Elementary Education as regular teachers, had accepted a reduction in salary for the promise of job security and regular pay.

The Education Minister’s assurance comes amidst growing agitation from various teacher associations, including the Assam State Primary Teachers’ Association (ASPTA), which had expressed strong concerns over the shifting salary disbursement mechanism. The resolution is expected to restore faith in the government’s commitment to teacher welfare and ensure a more stable working environment for educators.

Furthermore, the introduction of an online mutual transfer portal is a significant step towards streamlining administrative processes and addressing long-standing demands from teachers seeking transfers to preferred locations. This initiative aims to improve work-life balance and retention, particularly for female teachers in remote areas.

Background

The journey for SRD teachers in Assam has been marked by several policy shifts and challenges. Many of these teachers were initially engaged under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Mission between 2012 and 2021 on a contractual basis. In a significant move to regularise their services, the Assam government, based on a Gazette notification dated July 16, 2024, and a School Education Department communication dated August 9, 2024, directed the creation of 30,545 posts for Lower Primary schools and 4,588 posts for Upper Primary schools, totalling 35,133 posts.

Following this directive, a Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) was launched through an advertisement issued on August 6, 2024, with appointment distribution commencing on September 2, 2024, and continuing into 2025. Teachers appointed through this process formally resigned from their SSA posts and joined under the Directorate of Elementary Education (DEE), subsequently receiving salaries from the State Treasury, similar to other regular teachers.

However, recent developments led to renewed concerns among teachers. An order issued on July 31, 2026, directed that the salaries of SRD teachers be managed through the SNA-SPARSH module, utilising the State Top-Up Fund. This proposed shift sparked protests from teacher associations, who argued that it contradicted the terms of their regularisation and raised fears of a potential return to a contractual framework. The Assam State Primary Teachers’ Association (ASPTA) had announced an indefinite sit-in protest from August 12, 2026, if the proposed change was not withdrawn.

Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu had previously addressed these concerns, assuring teachers that the delay in salary disbursement was due to technical issues and financial system reforms, not a fund crisis or a change in their service status. He clarified that SRD teachers are full-fledged government employees entitled to all benefits. The minister had also indicated that salaries would be processed through the FinAssam portal and paid via the Dispur Treasury as part of the transition to a revised financial system.

The Assam government has been actively working on various education reforms. In October 2025, the state cabinet approved measures such as easing transfer norms for female teachers, reducing the mandatory service period for teachers under the Education for All (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) campaign from five years to three years, and lowering technical training fees. The government has also been addressing a significant teacher shortage, with over 30,000 posts vacant as of July 2026, and has initiated recruitment drives and school mergers to tackle this issue.

Key details

The Assam Education Minister, Dr. Ranoj Pegu, confirmed that the pending salaries for approximately 15,000 teachers appointed under the Special Recruitment Drive (SRD) are being cleared today. While the majority had already received their dues, around 200 to 250 teachers faced delays due to issues with their bank account details.

Dr. Pegu clarified that the Education Department has decided against continuing salary payments to SRD teachers through the SNA-SPARSH mechanism. Instead, payments will continue to be processed through the FinAssam portal and disbursed via the State Treasury, ensuring consistency with other regular government employees.

The Minister also announced the forthcoming notification for a new teacher transfer process. This will enable eligible teachers to apply for mutual transfers through an online portal, subject to prescribed rules and eligibility criteria.

Reactions

“The issue regarding the salaries of the teachers appointed on a contractual basis through SRD, who were regularised later, has been resolved,” Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Assam Education Minister, said. “Out of the 15,000 teachers, around 200-250 are yet to receive their salaries due to issues in their bank accounts, and those issues would also be resolved by Tuesday.”

Previously, teacher associations had voiced strong objections to the proposed change in the salary disbursement system. Ratul Chandra Goswami, General Secretary of the Assam State Primary Teachers’ Association (ASPTA), had stated that teachers had resigned from SSA posts and accepted salary reductions for the security of regular government employment.

“What we are demanding is regular and uninterrupted salary disbursement and not payments through the SNA portal. We suspect there is a plan to push us back into a contractual framework,” a protesting teacher said, highlighting concerns about job security and the mode of payment.

The minister had previously sought to allay these fears, asserting that SRD teachers are full-fledged government employees and that the delay was purely due to financial system reforms.

What’s next

With the pending salaries cleared today, the Assam Education Department is expected to continue its efforts to streamline payment processes and ensure timely disbursement for SRD teachers in the future. Dr. Pegu indicated that the department is working towards ensuring that these regularised teachers receive their salaries on the first day of each month, similar to other government teachers.

The notification for the new online teacher transfer process is also anticipated to be released shortly, providing detailed guidelines for applications and eligibility criteria for mutual transfers. This initiative is part of the state government’s broader agenda to enhance administrative efficiency and improve the working conditions for educators across Assam.

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