Guwahati, Nov 14 (IANS): The Assam government has decided to regularise the jobs of nearly 40,000 teachers working in government schools across the state on a contractual basis.

“There are more than 25,000 TET qualified teachers who have been working in the primary schools across the state on contract basis. Apart from that 9,500 contractual teachers were also engaged in the primary schools," says state Education Minister Ranoj Pegu.

Moreover, 4,500 teachers are there who take classes of students studying in class 9 and 10. We have decided to give all of them a regular appointment," he added.

During his Independence Day speech this year, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced the state government’s plan to regularise the jobs of around 40,000 teachers.

“The education department has worked according to the Chief Minister’s announcement and prepared a plan to regularise the jobs of those 40K teachers. We have set a target of March next year to complete the whole process,” Pegu told reporters on Monday.

He also said that the earlier service length of contractual teachers will not be calculated.

“Those who will join the regular posts, they will be treated as getting fresh appointments.”

Although the 40,000 teachers were working in contractual posts, they have been receiving the regular pay scale like permanent teachers.

According to Pegu, the salary of those teachers will decrease after joining the regular posts as the earlier service period will not be calculated.