Over 2,000 Teaching Posts to Be Filled Soon in Himachal; Government Firm on Restoring OPS
Shimla, June 5:
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the recruitment process for more than 2,000 teaching positions in Himachal Pradesh will begin shortly. He reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for state employees despite resistance from the central government.
The Chief Minister made these remarks while attending the closing ceremony of the two-day 32nd Himachal Pradesh State-Level Children’s Science Congress at Government College Dhaliyara in Kangra district. During the event, he felicitated winners of various competitions including science quizzes, mathematics olympiads, innovative science models, science skills, essay writing, and slogan writing. Around 600 student scientists and teachers from 12 districts participated.
Highlighting the importance of science education, the Chief Minister stated that while earlier the state received ₹2 crore annually from the Centre for promoting science among children, that funding has now been discontinued. Responding to a request from HIMCOSTE (Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment), the state government provided the necessary financial support. “We are now seeing a new confidence in our children—one that prepares them for future challenges. It’s a mindset nurtured by our teachers,” Sukhu said.
He emphasized the state’s commitment to protecting its environment and natural beauty. The government aims to make Himachal Pradesh a Green Energy State by March 31, 2026. Steps toward this goal include increasing electric mobility—350 electric buses are being introduced in the Himachal Road Transport Corporation fleet, which will eventually transition entirely to electric vehicles. “Green hydrogen is the future of energy, and Himachal is set to lead the way,” he added.
On the topic of employment, the Chief Minister said, “We are taking tough decisions to secure the future of our youth. The previous BJP government distributed election-time freebies worth ₹5,000 crore and built infrastructure worth ₹1,000 crore that remains unused.”
He claimed the present government has shut the backdoor to corruption, generating ₹3,000 crore in additional revenue within two years. In the education sector, the government plans to implement the CBSE curriculum in 100 government schools by next year.
Sukhu criticized the former BJP government for the decline in public school enrollment due to falling education standards. To address this, the government is opening Rajiv Gandhi Day-Boarding Schools in every constituency—many of which will start functioning next year. Recruitment for 967 TGT and PGT teachers is also underway, along with 1,000 Junior Basic Teacher (JBT) posts, to address staff shortages.
Reaffirming the government’s stand on OPS, he said, “We have reinstated the Old Pension Scheme for 1.36 lakh employees to ensure they can live with dignity in old age. The Centre has imposed financial constraints and is pressuring us to adopt the NPS, but we will not back down.”
The Chief Minister also highlighted reforms in the healthcare sector. Earlier, HIMCOSTE Member Secretary D.C. Rana welcomed the Chief Minister and presented an overview of the council’s initiatives.
Prominent attendees included Bhawani Singh Pathania, Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board; MLAs Sanjay Rattan, Kamlesh Thakur, and Vivek Sharma; HRTC Vice Chairman Ajay Verma; Kangra Central Cooperative Bank Chairman Kuldeep Singh Pathania; Dr. Mohan Lal, Chairman of the State Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation; APMC Kangra Chairman Nishu Mongra; Wool Federation Chairman Manoj Kumar; Congress leaders Surender Mankotia and Pushpinder Thakur; Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa; and Superintendent of Police Mayank Chaudhary.
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