The Assam Cabinet, chaired by the Chief Minister, has approved a series of major reforms in the education sector aimed at improving access, inclusivity, and welfare for both students and teachers. 

• The decisions focus on easing transfer norms for female teachers, reducing training fees, supporting technical education, and expanding welfare schemes like free bicycles and admission fee reimbursements.

Key Decisions Announced

1. Transfer Relaxation for Female Teachers

• Female teachers serving in South Salmara and Dhubri districts can now apply for transfers to their home districts or nearby locations, even if no post is available.
• Eligibility: Completion of five years of service in these districts.
• Objective: To improve work–life balance and encourage retention among women educators in remote areas.

2. Reduction in Mandatory Service Period

• Under the Education for All (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) campaign, the mandatory service period has been reduced from five years to three years.
• Purpose: To enable teachers to qualify earlier for government appointments and special recruitment drives.

3. Lowering Technical Training Fees

• Annual course fees for Industry 4.0 trade training under Tata Technologies reduced from ₹14,000 to ₹11,000.
• Nearly 2,000 students benefit annually through ITI and polytechnic courses under a ₹3,000-crore investment partnership.
• Aim: To promote affordable skill development and youth employability in Assam’s industrial sector.

4. Admission Fee Reimbursement

• The Cabinet approved ₹126 crore for reimbursing admission fees of 1,75,817 undergraduate students enrolled under the Free Admission Scheme.
• Objective: To ensure higher education affordability and reduce dropouts among economically weaker students.

5. Free Bicycles for School Students

• 3,11,614 Class IX students in government schools receive free bicycles.
• Total allocation: ₹130 crore.
• Objective: To improve school attendance and access to education, especially in rural areas.

Summary

Assam’s latest Cabinet decisions reflect a strong commitment to inclusive education, teacher empowerment, and youth skill development — pillars vital for achieving Assam Vision 2030 and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 objectives.