Guwahati (Assam) [India], January 13 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday distributed appointment letters to 296 candidates belonging to the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities, selected for reserved posts through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE), at a ceremony held at the GMCH Auditorium in Guwahati.
The newly appointed candidates have been inducted into various departments of the Assam Government.
Of the total appointees, 130 candidates have been recruited to Grade-IV posts, while 166 candidates have been appointed to Grade-III posts. With these appointments, the total number of government jobs provided by the present State Government has reached 1,56,679.
It may be recalled that apart from today’s distribution of appointment letters through ADRE, the State Government had earlier appointed candidates from the Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities to teacher posts on November 12, to various posts under the Assam Police and other directorates of the Home Department on December 8 and to technical and non-technical posts in the Health Department on December 24, in 2025.
Addressing the gathering, CM Sarma stated that Assam has emerged as a pioneer in the country by successfully implementing the concept of a common examination to fill vacancies across multiple government departments.
He said that despite the many challenges involved in conducting examinations without irregularities and issuing appointment letters without legal hurdles, the entire process was completed with full transparency.
The Chief Minister noted that in recognition of the 200-year contribution of the tea community to Assam’s tea industry, the State Government decided last year to introduce a three per cent reservation for eligible youth from the Adivasi and Tea communities in all Grade-III and Grade-IV State Government posts.
He stated that, notwithstanding initial apprehensions, the government has successfully implemented this policy. CM Sarma further recalled that during the last Assembly election campaign, the government had committed to providing one lakh government jobs, a target which has since been exceeded with 1,56,679 appointments to date.
He disclosed that under the three per cent reservation quota, nearly 1,000 candidates from the Adivasi and Tea communities have been appointed so far this year. Emphasising that such a large number of appointments would not have been possible without the reservation policy, the Chief Minister described this mass recruitment as a phenomenon capable of triggering far-reaching social change.
He said that the government had organised a separate ceremony for these appointments to underline this message.
The Chief Minister also announced that the three per cent reservation for the Adivasi and Tea communities will be extended beyond Grade-III and Grade-IV posts to include Grade-I and Grade-II positions in the State Government. This, he said, would pave the way for members of the community to serve in senior roles such as Magistrates, Police Officers, and College and University Professors, thereby ushering in a major socio-economic transformation.
He added that this policy would also encourage a competitive academic environment among students from tea garden areas.
Highlighting other welfare initiatives, Sarma said that 30 MBBS seats in Assam’s medical colleges were already reserved for tea tribe students. Recently, the government has announced one additional reserved seat for the community in each medical college, adding 14 more seats.
He further informed that 44 hostels are being constructed across the State for Tea Tribe and Adivasi students, while financial assistance is being extended to youth through the Shahid Dayal Das Panika Self-Employment Scheme.
He also referred to the historic decision taken in the recent session of the Assam Legislative Assembly to grant land rights to residents of tea garden “lines”.
Addressing the newly appointed candidates, the Chief Minister urged them to remain rooted in their identity and take pride in their community and family background.
He called upon them to serve the people of tea garden areas with dedication and compassion and to remain committed to their families and society throughout their service.
He also exhorted them to set new standards of work culture by delivering quality public service, especially to the poor and vulnerable, while remaining sensitive to the hardships faced by the people.
The programme was attended by the Minister for Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare etc. Rupesh Gowala; Members of Parliament Rameswar Teli and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa; MLAs Sanjay Kishan and Rupjyoti Kurmi; former APSC Member Bhagirath Karan; Additional Chief Secretary J. B. Ekka; along with representatives of various social organisations and other dignitaries. (ANI)