In a written reply to opposition leader Wajed Ali Choudhury, School Education Minister Ranoj Pegu informed the Assam Assembly that out of 1,54,078 sanctioned teaching posts, roughly 20% – or 30,032 positions – remain unfilled. The figure underscores a persistent shortfall that has widened over recent years, especially at the primary level.

Breakdown of Vacancies by Level

Primary schools account for 18,801 vacant posts, with 11,662 in lower‑primary and 7,139 in upper‑primary institutions. At the secondary and higher‑secondary tiers, another 11,231 sanctioned positions stand empty, painting a comprehensive picture of the staffing crisis across the state’s education system.

Single‑Teacher Schools and Pupil‑Teacher Ratio Gaps

Assam operates 44,103 state‑run schools, including 39,531 primary schools. Of these, 7,948 schools fail to meet the mandatory 30:1 pupil‑teacher ratio (PTR), and many continue to function as single‑teacher schools. AIUDF MLA Badruddin Ajmal warned that such arrangements have contributed to declining enrolments in recent years.

Government’s Recruitment Strategy

The state government has announced an ambitious plan to recruit two lakh (200,000) youths for various government jobs, with the vacancy lists from schools being prepared accordingly. Minister Pegu emphasized a three‑pronged approach: regular recruitment, intra‑district rationalisation, and merger‑amalgamation of schools to strengthen teacher deployment.

Implications and Expert Perspective

If the vacancy‑filling process stalls, Assam’s educational momentum could suffer long‑term setbacks, particularly in rural areas where access to quality schooling is already limited. Experts argue that beyond recruitment, improving school infrastructure and investing in teacher training are essential to achieve a genuine uplift in educational outcomes.