Education Minister Rohit Thakur today here chaired a review meeting with senior officers of the Education Department to assess the progress of ongoing programmes and reforms in education sector. The Education Minister said that the present state government has accorded the highest priority to the education sector and has introduced several significant reforms that are yielding positive results.
He stated that the government is now planning to introduce Apprentice Embedded Degree Programmes for students who have completed their bachelor's degrees. Under this initiative, students will get opportunities to work with various industries while receiving a stipend. It will enable them to enhance their skills and improve their employment prospects.
He said that the government is also planning introduction of foreign language courses at the college level, which would help students acquire global language skills and create employment opportunities in international markets. Highlighting the success of the B.Voc. initiative, Shri Thakur said that the initiative has received an encouraging response from students.
In view of its success, the government is planning to introduce four additional courses under the programme. Rohit Thakur said that in accordance with the budget announcement, the government has increased the honorarium of SMC teachers, Mid-Day Meal Workers, Water Carriers, Computer Teachers and Multi-Task Workers working under the Education Department by Rs. 500 per month.
Reviewing the performance of students in the HPBOSE examinations, the Minister said that the results of Class 10 and Class 12 would be analysed in detail. He directed the officers to ensure accountability and stated that annual increments of consistently poor-performing teachers could be withheld.
He also stressed the importance of regular biometric attendance and salary deductions would be considered in cases of persistent non-compliance. The Minister said that 1,131 various categories SMC teachers were appointed through LDR category. LDR process for 714 PGT and 102 DPE posts would be conducted shortly, while the process for Computer Teachers would be taken up after the necessary amendments to the R&P Rules.
He also directed the department officials to expedite the recruitment process for thousands of vacant teaching posts that have been sent to the Rajya Chayan Aayog and the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. He said that as per the announcement, Horticulture is being been started as a vocational subject in schools.
He directed the department to expand the programme, particularly in horticulture-dominated areas. Reviewing the distribution of tablets to students, Shri Thakur directed the department to expedite the process and adopt the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode so that eligible students can purchase devices of their choice.
He also instructed Deputy Directors to ensure that the funds are utilized for the intended purpose. The Minister directed the department to complete DPC formalities for the promotion of Deputy Directors and said that the proposal for creating District Attorney Posts would be placed before the Cabinet.
The Minister was informed that 148 government schools have secured CBSE affiliation in current academic session. He said that more schools would be brought under the CBSE curriculum in future and directed the department to conduct examinations in December in all summer and winter closing schools, except board classes.
Reviewing PDNA works, he was informed that Rs. 19 crore has been released to PWD and HIMUDA for the repair and reconstruction of schools damaged during 2023 and 2025 disasters. The Minister also directed officials to expedite pending formalities for non-functional Kendriya Vidyalayas and make them operational at the earliest.
Rohit Thakur also reviewed the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana, under which students can avail loans up to Rs. 20 lakh for higher education at an interest rate of one percent. He directed the Higher Education Department to simplify the scheme so that eligible beneficiaries can easily access its benefits.
The Minister lauded the efforts of the Education Department, Samagra Shiksha and the teaching fraternity for remarkable performance in the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 released by the Ministry of Education. He said that the state has secured the 6th position nationally and 3rd position among all states, earning a spot in the prestigious Prachesta-2 category, the second-highest grade in the country. He expressed confidence that the department would continue to work with the same dedication and emerge as a model for other states.
Secretary Education Rakesh Kanwar, Project Director Samagra Shiksh Rajesh Sharma, Director School Education Ashish kohli, Director Higher Education Dr. Harish Kumar Awasthi and other senior officers were present in the meeting.