‘No Nepotism, No Bribes’: CM Sarma Says Assam Recruitment Is Now Corruption-Free

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that safeguarding the state’s public education system and ensuring students’ welfare remain among the government’s biggest challenges.

Recalling his tenure as Education Minister in 2011, CM Sarma said the department then was “riddled with nepotism and corruption,” which prompted the introduction of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET). “There was a massive market for teacher recruitment back then. We brought in TET to restore transparency,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that despite opposition from within the Congress during his tenure as education minister, he continued the merit-based recruitment process. “The then Chief Minister had instructed the department to stop TET appointments, but I chose to uphold the system,” he remarked.

CM Sarma said that since 2012, his government has held large-scale recruitment drives in various departments, including education and police. “We have completed 1,34,000 appointments. There is no corruption, and not a single case has gone to court. Even those who did not vote for the BJP have secured jobs purely on merit,” he said.

Referring to the earlier state of affairs, he said, “There was a time when a school inspector’s post was worth ₹30 lakh and an ACS officer’s post cost ₹1 crore. We have pulled the system out of that murky state.”

The Chief Minister further stated that his government had promised one lakh jobs but has already exceeded the figure by 35,000. “Recruitment will continue till December,” he added.

CM Sarma also took a swipe at certain groups allegedly trying to destabilise the state. “Some are attempting to turn Assam into another Nepal or Bangladesh, but we will not let that happen,” he asserted.

Highlighting education reforms, the Chief Minister said mathematics teachers have been recruited for the first time in Assam. “Earlier, only science teachers were appointed. Next year, more posts for mathematics teachers will be created to build an environment where students do not fear the subject,” he said.

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