Agartala: Jan 10: During the winter session of the Tripura Assembly, Chief Minister Professor (Dr.) Manik Saha addressed concerns raised by CPM MLA Ashok Chandra Mitra regarding the teacher shortage in government colleges. The Chief Minister assured that standard procedures were being followed to resolve the issue, with the recruitment process for 401 teaching positions set to be completed in phases soon.
Dr. Saha elaborated that the Tripura Public Service Commission (TPSC) had been tasked with conducting exams for 201 Assistant Professor positions. Furthermore, the cabinet had approved filling an additional 200 Assistant Professor roles, and the finance department had given its approval, paving the way for the recruitment process to begin shortly.
The Chief Minister also provided details on the current state of education in Tripura. He informed that 72,009 students are enrolled across 31 general degree colleges in the state, which employ 787 teachers, including PGTs, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors. According to UGC guidelines, the ideal teacher-student ratio is 1:60. To bridge the gap, 710 guest teachers have been appointed. However, the total number of teachers needed is 1,231, indicating a significant shortfall.
MLA Ashok Chandra Mitra criticized the teacher shortage, claiming it was adversely affecting students’ education. He urged the higher education department to expedite the recruitment process, noting that there is no lack of eligible candidates in the state, many of whom hold qualifications like NET, SLT, and PhDs.
Congress MLA Gopal Chandra Roy raised concerns about the new education policy and its impact on the teacher-student ratio. Additionally, Tipra Motha MLAs Pal Dangsu and Pathan Lal Jamatia requested that Longtarai Valley and Kanchanpur General Degree Colleges be named after local leaders Shyamacharan Tripura and Drau Kumar Riang, recognizing their contributions to the community.
