Assam Cabinet Approves Key Initiatives to Enhance Education Sector
Significant Measures for Education in Assam
Himanta Biswa Sarma with his council of ministers at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (Photo: @CMOfficeAssam / X)
Guwahati, Nov 10: In a recent Cabinet meeting, the Assam government approved several initiatives aimed at bolstering the education sector. One of the key decisions was to increase the one-time financial aid for the families of deceased teachers and officials associated with the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
During a press conference at Lok Bhawan, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced, “Previously, the financial support for the families of deceased SSA teachers and officials was set at Rs 5 lakh. We have now raised this amount to Rs 7.5 lakh.”
Additionally, the Cabinet allocated Rs 108 crore to assist colleges that offer fee waivers to students as part of the state's fee-relief initiative. Sarma explained, “As students are exempt from paying admission fees, the government compensates colleges to ensure their operations remain unaffected. Today, we sanctioned Rs 108 crore for this purpose, which will be directly transferred to the colleges for the fee waivers provided.”
Moreover, the Cabinet has decided to partner with the Research Park at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati to create teaching and learning materials for students in Classes I and II at government schools under the SSA. Sarma noted that these materials aim to enhance children's foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
“In the past, we sourced these educational materials from various contractors through a tender process. Now, we will collaborate with IIT Guwahati's Research Park to develop these resources, allowing us to better understand our students' specific learning needs,” he added.
In a related decision regarding higher education, the Cabinet approved the merger of Krishna Kanta Handiqui Sanskrit College in Guwahati with Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit University in Nalbari. Sarma explained that the college has a limited student body of around 65, while the university has a significantly larger enrollment.
Under this merger, the facilities of the Guwahati college will be relocated to Nalbari, and its teaching staff will be integrated into the university as professors. The institution will also receive a new name following the merger, which the Cabinet will determine.
Additionally, the Assam Cabinet sanctioned Rs 200 crore for the Ayushman Assam scheme, which will help cover healthcare costs for 40 lakh families. Sarma clarified that while the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat scheme supports 30 lakh families, the Assam government is responsible for the healthcare expenses of an additional 40 lakh families.