GUWAHATI, Dec 24: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that for the first time, people belonging to the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities have been able to secure large-scale social justice under the present government, as he distributed appointment letters to 215 candidates from these communities for various technical and non-technical posts in the state’s health sector.
The appointment letters were handed over at a function held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
Of the total appointments, 88 candidates were selected for technical posts and 28 for non-technical posts under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research, 56 candidates were appointed to technical posts under the Directorate of Health Services, and 43 candidates were selected for technical posts under the Directorate of Health Services (Family Welfare).
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Addressing the gathering, the chief minister recalled that the state government had introduced a three per cent reservation for eligible youth from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities in all Grade III and Grade IV government jobs last year.
He said that although doubts had been raised at the time about the implementation of the decision, the government had successfully overcome all challenges and ensured its execution.
Referring to the government’s broader recruitment drive, Sarma said examinations had been conducted for the recruitment of teachers at various levels, technical posts in the health sector, and Grade III and Grade IV posts through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination.
He said that while the government had promised one lakh jobs during the last Assembly election campaign, it had already provided employment to 1,45,449 youths.
With the inclusion of the 215 new appointees, the figure has risen to 1,45,664, he said, adding that the number would touch nearly 1,60,000 after the next round of appointments through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination.
Under the three per cent reservation quota, 720 candidates from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities have been appointed so far this year.
The chief minister said this number is expected to rise to around 1,200–1,300 once appointments through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination are included, observing that such large-scale representation would not have been possible without the reservation policy.
He also announced that the three per cent reservation would be extended to Grade I and Grade II posts, a move he said would bring significant socio-economic transformation by enabling appointments to higher positions such as magistrates, police officers and professors.
Highlighting steps taken to strengthen education in tea garden areas, Sarma said 120 model higher secondary schools have already been established and work on another 100 will begin in January.
He added that 30 MBBS seats have been reserved for students from Tea Tribes, with an additional seat per medical college recently announced.
The chief minister also referred to the construction of 44 hostels for students from these communities and the provision of financial assistance under the Shaheed Dayal Das Panika Self-Employment Scheme.
Sarma further said that initiatives in education, health, sports and culture, along with the recent decision of the Assam Legislative Assembly to grant land rights to tea garden residents, were collectively contributing to improving the quality of life in tea garden areas.
He announced that the three per cent reservation would henceforth be calculated on the basis of total vacant posts, instead of being adjusted against the quota for Other Backward Classes.
Urging the newly appointed candidates to serve with commitment, the chief minister called upon them to prioritise service delivery in hospitals located in tea garden areas and to remain responsible towards their families and society.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ashok Singhal, Minister for Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare Rupesh Gowala, along with legislators and senior officials of the health and medical education departments, were present on the occasion.
