Guwahati, Nov 21: Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday handed over appointment letters to 377 TET and TET-cum-Recruitment qualified candidates from the Tea Tribe and Adivasi communities at Srimanta Sankaradev Kalakshetra in Guwahati.

With these appointments, the total number of government recruitments since 2021 has reached 1,35,376. The Chief Minister emphasized that all recruitments were made through a transparent, merit-based process.

At the event, Dr. Sarma also distributed funds to educational institutions to waive admission fees for students from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families enrolled in Higher Secondary and four-year undergraduate courses for the 2025–26 academic year.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the government has fulfilled its election promise to provide one lakh jobs, with actual appointments exceeding 1,35,000, excluding contractual recruits under schemes such as the National Health Mission and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.

Highlighting educational challenges in tea garden areas, Dr. Sarma noted that most tea estates lack schools beyond the primary level. To address this, the government has established 120 Model Higher Secondary Schools in tea garden areas and plans to build 100 more by January, with teacher posts reserved for candidates from the Tea Tribe community to facilitate communication in familiar languages.

The Chief Minister also outlined reservations for Tea Tribe and Adivasi communities, including a 3 percent quota in Grade III and IV government jobs under the OBC category, soon to extend to Grade I and II posts. Additionally, the government has reserved seats for Tea Tribe students in nearby colleges and medical seats, aiming to produce 50 doctors and 250 paramedical professionals annually from the community.

Dr. Sarma mentioned initiatives such as the Shaheed Dayal Das Panika Self-Employment Scheme, maternity grants for pregnant tea garden workers, and the establishment of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to improve healthcare access in tea garden areas.

Describing the teaching appointments as “planting saplings that will grow into banyan trees,” he urged appointees to serve sincerely and guide the next generation while warning of strict action against the misuse of documents to claim Tea Tribe benefits.

Education reforms such as free admissions, the Nijut Moina stipend for girl students, and free bicycles and scooters have been introduced to make public schools more attractive. Dr. Sarma said Assam now ranks among India’s most progressive states in educational investment, ensuring no student drops out due to financial hardship.

Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu, Cooperation Minister Jogen Mohan, Tea Tribe and Adivasi Welfare Minister Rupesh Gowala, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, several MLAs, and senior Education Department officials attended the programme.