The Assam Government on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, launched the Provincialisation Management System (PMS) portal, a dedicated digital platform designed to streamline the provincialisation of venture educational institutions and their staff across the state. The initiative, unveiled by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also includes the ‘Gurudakshina’ scheme, offering financial packages and preferential marking for other government jobs to those whose services cannot be provincialised.
This move is positioned as a decisive and transparent effort to resolve the long-pending issue of regularising the workforce of venture educational institutions, which has been a significant concern for thousands of teachers and non-teaching staff. The PMS portal aims to create a centralised database, thereby ending ambiguity and alleged irregularities that have historically affected the provincialisation process.
What was announced
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma formally launched the Provincialisation Management System (PMS) portal at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Dispur on February 18, 2026. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and other senior departmental officials were present at the inauguration ceremony, according to a state release.
The Chief Minister said the PMS portal would streamline the application, monitoring, and processing of requests from non-provincialised venture schools and colleges, including their teaching and non-teaching staff. This digital platform operates under the framework of the Assam Education (Provincialisation of Services of Teachers and Re-Organisation of Educational Institutions) Act, 2017, which was amended in 2025.
During the launch, Chief Minister Sarma also announced the ‘Gurudakshina’ scheme, which was introduced in the Vote-on-Account Budget presented on February 17, 2026. This scheme provides a one-time financial package to those whose services cannot be provincialised under the existing rules. Additionally, it includes a preferential marking system to assist these individuals in competing for other government job opportunities.
The ‘Guru Dakshina 1.0’ portal, specifically for this scheme, was subsequently launched by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on March 15, 2026, at the Samagra Shiksha Assam (SSA) office in Kahilipara, Guwahati.
Why it matters
The launch of the PMS portal and the Gurudakshina scheme is a significant step towards addressing the long-standing demands of teachers and staff in venture educational institutions across Assam. The government aims to bring transparency and efficiency to a process that has often been criticised for its complexities and alleged irregularities.
Chief Minister Sarma emphasised that the initiative serves as both a governance reform and a welfare measure. It seeks to provide stability and recognition to thousands of educators who have served in these institutions for years without provincialised status.
The preferential marking system under the Gurudakshina scheme offers a crucial pathway for those who may not qualify for provincialisation, enabling them to pursue other employment opportunities within the government sector. This dual approach aims to ensure that no dedicated educator is left without support.
Background
The provincialisation of venture educational institutions has been a complex and politically sensitive issue in Assam for several decades. Venture schools are those established by local communities that initially operate without full government aid or recognition, with teachers often working for minimal or no salaries in the hope of future regularisation.
The Assam government has undertaken several phases of provincialisation over the years. Chief Minister Sarma, recalling his tenure as Education Minister, noted that over 50,000 teachers across primary, secondary, and college levels were provincialised in phases since 2011. This included the provincialisation of 21,957 teachers and staff in primary schools, 14,034 in secondary schools, and 3,180 in colleges in earlier phases. Subsequently, taking advantage of the 2017 law, another 9,895 teachers in primary schools, 5,245 in secondary schools, and 1,746 teachers and professors in colleges were provincialised.
The Assam Education (Provincialisation of Services of Teachers and Re-Organisation of Educational Institutions) Act, 2017, was enacted to provide a legal framework for this process. However, ambiguities and grievances arose, leading the government to constitute a Cabinet Sub-Committee. This committee recommended modifications, resulting in the amendment of the Act in 2025 to bring clarity and uniformity to its provisions. The current launch of the PMS portal marks the third and most comprehensive phase of this provincialisation drive.
According to UDISE data from March 2025, Assam had approximately 5,833 venture schools, with 2,340 of these having fewer than 30 students. This highlights the scale of institutions and individuals impacted by the provincialisation policy.
Key details
For institutions to be eligible for provincialisation through the PMS portal, they must have been established prior to January 1, 2006. Applicants are required to submit comprehensive documentation, including recognition certificates, land documents, academic performance details (such as pass percentages from the last four years), and credentials of all teaching and non-teaching staff.
The institution’s name must also appear in the DISE code of 2009-10 for Lower Primary, Upper Primary/Middle English, High Schools, and Higher Secondary Schools. For Senior Secondary and Degree Colleges, enrolment figures will be based on the number of admit cards issued.
The Gurudakshina scheme is specifically designed for teachers of venture educational institutions, ranging from Lower Primary and Upper Primary schools to High Schools, Higher Secondary institutions, and Degree Colleges, whose services could not be provincialised. This includes retired teachers who meet the criteria, and in cases of deceased educators, their nominees can apply with the necessary legal heir certificates. It is important to note that non-teaching personnel are not eligible for the Gurudakshina scheme.
Applications for the Gurudakshina scheme must be submitted online through the dedicated portal, www.gurudakshinaportal.org. A non-refundable processing fee of ₹300 is required at the time of application submission. Applicants must also provide details of an active bank account in their name for the direct credit of financial assistance.
What’s next
Chief Minister Sarma urged all stakeholders to cooperate with the government in this initiative, stating the administration’s commitment to securing the future of venture institution employees while upholding legal and administrative discipline. The PMS portal is expected to process applications in a structured and transparent manner, with the government undertaking a careful analysis of the uploaded data to identify genuinely eligible institutions for provincialisation.
The Chief Minister indicated that this would be the final opportunity for provincialisation, implying that no further scope would remain after this phase. The government’s focus remains on strengthening the education system and ensuring quality education across Assam through these reforms.