Central Idea

The Gyan Sahayak Scheme, introduced by the Gujarat state government, has stirred controversy, facing opposition from various quarters of society.

Why discuss this?

The scheme seeks to address teacher vacancies in government schools through contractual appointments until regular appointments are finalized.
Many states in India have opted for the contractual filling of govt job vacancies ever since the regime change in 2014.

Interim Solution: The scheme aims to temporarily fill teaching positions in primary, secondary, and higher secondary government schools until regular appointments could be made.
Basis in National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: The scheme draws inspiration from the NEP 2020, which emphasizes the need for teachers with interdisciplinary skills, beyond traditional academic subjects.

Applicability: The Gyan Sahayak Scheme is applicable to government and grant-in-aid schools, particularly Mission Schools of Excellence.
Vacancy Statistics: The government announced the hiring of 15,000 Gyan Sahayaks for primary schools and 11,500 for secondary and higher secondary schools.
Salary Structure: Gyan Sahaks receive varying monthly salaries based on their school level: Rs 21,000 for primary, Rs 24,000 for secondary, and Rs 26,000 for higher secondary.
Vacancy Context: Gujarat reports an estimated 32,000 teaching vacancies in government and grant-in-aid schools, primarily affecting primary and secondary schools. Some secondary schools rely on Pravasi teachers to meet staffing needs.

Primary Gyan Sahayak: Candidates must have cleared the Gujarat Examination Board’s Teachers Eligibility Test (TET)-2.
Secondary and Higher Secondary Gyan Sahayak: Candidates should have cleared the Teacher Aptitude Test (TAT).
Age Limit: Both primary and secondary school Gyan Sahayaks must be under 40 years of age, while higher secondary school Gyan Sahayaks can be up to 42 years old.
Merit-Based Selection: Selection involves the preparation of a merit list based on percentile ranks from TET-2 results, followed by the allocation of Gyan Sahayak positions to School Management Committees (SMCs) through district education officers.