SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Education Minister Rohit Thakur announced on Thursday that teacher recruitment in the state will be conducted strictly on a merit basis. He confirmed that the hiring process for 3,000 posts in the School Education Department, recently approved by the cabinet, will begin shortly.
Addressing the media at the State Secretariat on Thursday, Thakur claimed that a total of 14,000 recruitments will be completed in the Education Department during the present government’s tenure. He stated that this initiative would significantly address the shortage of teachers in government schools across the state.
Updating on ongoing processes, the minister shared that the recruitment drive for CBSE-declared schools in the state is currently underway. Approximately 9,000 candidates have appeared for the examination, and appointments will be strictly merit-based. He added that principal appointments in CBSE schools are also progressing smoothly, with eight districts already covered and the remaining districts set to be completed soon.
Highlighting measures to enhance transparency, Thakur stated that the state government is continuously upgrading the examination and hiring system. To minimize the risk of paper leaks, several recruitment exams are now being conducted through computer-based testing (CBT) to ensure a fair and trustworthy mechanism.
Turning his focus to national issues, the Education Minister launched a sharp attack on the Central Government over the NEET paper leak controversy, calling it a major failure of the country’s examination system. He expressed concern that the incident has raised serious questions about the credibility of public exams, adding that timely steps should have been taken.
Thakur termed it unfortunate that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has not resigned despite the lapse. He noted that nationwide protests against the NEET paper leak highlight the failure of the Centre, emphasizing that paper leaks should not happen in any state and that a zero-tolerance policy must be enforced. Rather than engaging in political blame games, he called for making examination systems completely transparent and secure.
Responding to allegations leveled by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda, the minister suggested focusing on strengthening system integrity rather than making accusations against others.
Addressing concerns regarding the protest by Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers against the cluster system, Rohit Thakur assured that the state government remains sensitive to their demands and grievances. He added that a positive decision will be taken based on a practical and reasonable solution.
