The Assam cabinet has decided to carry out a special recruitment drive for 35,000 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers to bring them under the ambit of the government. This will be done as the government cannot regularize their positions, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed on Thursday.

"In order to give them some respite, the cabinet has decided to create 35,000 new jobs under the government. A special recruitment drive will be carried out and only SSA teachers will be able to apply. Fresh candidates can apply for other regular positions," Sarma said.

Addressing the media after the cabinet meeting in Nalbari, the Assam chief minister said, "The state's Advocate General gave us an opinion that the government, in accordance with the Supreme Court's directives in the Uma Devi case, cannot regularize jobs. This power of the cabinet has been curtailed by the Supreme Court. As a result, we cannot regularize anyone's job."

Meanwhile, after the completion of the recruitment drive, the 35,000 positions left vacant under the SSA will cease to exist, he said. "When these 35,000 teachers are given recruitment, their vacant positions under SSA will be made non-existent," Sarma said.

"SSA teachers will have to apply for special recruitment. Their credentials will be verified and they will be offered jobs. They will get NPS [National Pension Scheme], government pay scale, yearly increaments and other benefits," the chief minister added.