Shimla – Education Minister Rohit Thakur has sharply criticized the previous BJP government for its handling of Himachal Pradesh’s education system, calling it a ‘tragic legacy’ that the Congress government is now tasked with fixing.
Thakur revealed that the State Selection Commission is advancing with the filling of 2,800 teaching posts, with 700 lecturer positions close to being finalized. Additionally, the government has appointed 95 college principals and 483 assistant professors and plans to recruit 6,200 NTT teachers soon. These steps are aimed at addressing a severe educational crisis left by the previous administration.
Under the BJP, the education system saw a dramatic decline, the education minister said and further added that the National Achievement Survey of 2021 ranked Himachal Pradesh a disappointing 21st nationally, a significant drop from its former educational excellence. This decline was coupled with an alarming decrease in student enrollment, with first-grade numbers falling to just 49,295.
Research highlights that systemic issues such as teacher shortages and inadequate infrastructure have long plagued the state’s educational sector. When Congress took office, it inherited a situation with 350 schools operating without any teachers, 3,200 schools with only one teacher, and 15,000 vacancies in the education department. Furthermore, 90 percent of colleges were running without principals, and promotions for these positions had been stalled.
In response, the Congress government has initiated several key reforms, including the closure of 300 schools with zero student enrollment, Thakur said and further added that teachers from these schools are being reassigned to more impactful roles. New measures also include a cluster system within a 500-meter radius, the introduction of English-medium education from the first class, and the launch of smart classrooms.
Thakur also pointed fingers at former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, blaming him for the educational downturn due to his hands-off approach. The former regime’s failures, he argued, set the stage for a crisis that the Congress government is now working hard to resolve.
