When Will Assam's Schools Get Headmasters? New Petition, More Uncertainty

In a major setback to Assam’s education system, the long-pending process of appointing head teachers in over 25,000 lower primary schools has come to an abrupt halt. The Gauhati High Court, acting on a petition filed by five teachers from Nagaon district, has issued an interim order putting the entire recruitment process on hold, once again pushing a decades-old demand into uncertainty.

For over 44 years, primary school teachers across the state have been demanding permanent head teachers in government-run lower primary schools. The Assam State Primary Teachers' Association, which led the movement, staged countless protests, held repeated discussions with successive governments, and submitted memoranda year after year.

Earlier this year, it seemed like those efforts were finally bearing fruit. The state government began by promoting the senior-most assistant teachers in 6,515 schools with more than 150 students. Encouraged by the progress, the government soon expanded the plan to include all schools with over 50 students, covering a massive 25,000 schools across Assam.

But just as the long-overdue appointments were set to roll out, five teachers, Jonmoni Dey, Joydeep Nath, Bana, Sikh, and Manik Chandra, filed a legal petition in the Gauhati High Court, challenging the SOP and notification issued by the education department. They expressed fears that junior teachers might be appointed over them, suggesting unfairness in the promotion process.

Acting on the petition, the Gauhati High Court issued an interim order instructing the Assam Government and the Education Department to maintain the status quo on all head teacher appointments. The next hearing has been scheduled for August 14.

The sudden halt has left thousands of teachers disheartened and furious. Many of them have waited decades for this recognition, only to see the entire process derailed by a handful of objections.

On social media, teachers are voicing their anger, calling the move "disheartening" and "unfair." One teacher wrote, "I am deeply saddened that some teachers seem to have forgotten the sacrifices and hardships endured by our senior educators. We remain hopeful that the Honourable High Court will deliver true justice and that the process of appointing head teachers in schools will be completed very soon."

Since 1982, the demand for head teachers has been at the heart of primary education reform in Assam. There have been 44 formal meetings and over 200 informal rounds of discussion with state officials. The movement also received support from educationists, civil society groups, and political parties, all of whom agreed on the need for structured leadership in schools.

But despite all that, the goal remains elusive. With the process now tangled in legal hurdles, the fate of thousands of dedicated teachers hangs in the balance once again.

Also Read: Assam May Roll Back to Jan-Dec Academic Year for Schools