Guwahati: In sync with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Assam cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for the formation of a new board — Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) by the merger of existing two boards — Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA) and Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).
The SEBA was formed in 1962, and the AHSEC in 1984. The SEBA has two classes, IX and X, under it while the AHSEC has XI and XII.
Now the ASSEB will have four classes: IX, X, XI, and XII.
“To develop, regulate, and supervise the standard of school education, the SEBA and AHSEC will be merged and constitute the ASSEB,” tourism minister Jayanta Mallabaruah told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
The cabinet also gave its approval for Assam Secondary School (Government Schools) Service (2nd amendment) rules 2023 and the Assam Secondary Education (Provincialised Schools) Service (2nd Amendment) rules, 2023 for streamlining the recruitment procedure of graduate and postgraduate teachers, including subject teachers in vocational subjects.
The amended rules seek to maintain the pupil-teacher ratio, ensure optimum utilization of manpower for effective academic support to students and prevent adverse effects on academic activities at the secondary level in provincialised and government schools.
The cabinet also decided to pay an honorarium to the nominated members of Municipal Boards on a par with the remuneration fixed for the ward commissioners of Municipal Boards.
Baruah said the cabinet also approved the modification of standard operating procedure (SOP) for allocation, lifting, transportation, and distribution of commodities and inspection of FPS, GPSS, WCCS, LAMPS, etc for ensuring an uninterrupted supply of food grains allocated under NFSA 2013 to beneficiaries.
“According to the SOP, Anna Sewa Saptah will be observed from 1srt to the 10th of the allocated month while the revised date for the lifting of food grain from FCI to the doorstep of FPS will be from 20th to 30th of every month,” the minister said.
The cabinet further gave its ex-post facto approval for the creation of the Khasi-Jaintia Development Council for Barak Valley and Dima Hasao.
“The cabinet gave a separate entry for the Baite community living in Karbi Anglong. Accordingly, the state government will submit a proposal to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) for the inclusion of Baite as Baite, Biete from entry 7 of part II-Assam I in the Schedule to the Constitution (ST) Order 1950,” the minister said.
For the promotion of electric vehicles, the state cabinet gave its nod for the reduction of the tax rate from the existing 10 per cent to two per cent up to March 31, 2025, from the date of notification.
The cabinet also approved the proposal for allotment of land to 3,576 landless families of 9 districts- Morigaon, Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Goalpara, Laklhimpur, Sonitpur, Darrang, Tinsukia and Dhemaji under Mission Basundhara 2.0.
The cabinet also granted local holidays on the day of celebration of Ali Aye Ligang in 10 districts- Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Majuli.
The cabinet further decided to hold the budget session from February 5, 2024.