Assam Colleges, Universities Register Over 520 Vacant Reserved Teaching Posts, Minister Tells Assembly

Over 520 reserved category teaching posts are lying vacant in different government colleges and universities of Assam, which is indicative of an acute staffing gap in the higher education sector of the state. The figures were placed before the Assam Assembly formally on Thursday by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu in response to a written query from Leader of Opposition, Debabrata Saikia.

In his reply, the minister has stated that as many as 522 posts meant for SC, ST and OBC candidates remain vacant in state-funded institutions. Of these, 429 posts are lying vacant in colleges while 93 positions in universities continue to wait for recruits.

Breaking down the numbers, Pegu said that Assam’s government colleges now have 297 OBC posts, 46 SC posts and 96 ST posts lying vacant. The shortfall at the university level includes 49 OBC positions, 13 SC posts and 31 ST posts.

The minister further revealed that the backlog is not confined to the reserved categories alone. Institutions of higher education also have 775 vacant teaching posts in the general category, underlining the broader recruitment lag across Assam's academic ecosystem.

It has led to apprehensions about the impact of prolonged vacancies on teaching quality, academic output, and compliance with reservation norms. The Opposition legislators argued that shortage comes in the way of learning outcomes and departmental expansion in colleges and universities. Educationists have also pointed out that such persistent gaps undermine the state's efforts to strengthen higher education and expand access for marginalised communities.

Although the vacancies were admitted by the government, no timeline was provided on recruitment in the Assembly reply. However, officials have hinted that the state is working on facilitating the hiring process through the Assam Public Service Commission and direct recruitment drives to fill posts lying vacant for a long time.

With over 1,297 posts of teachers lying vacant in various categories, the state requires a concerted and time-bound recruitment plan for adequate representation to restore academic continuity in the higher educational institutions of Assam, say stakeholders.