Ahmedabad: In response to a severe shortage of teachers in Gujarat, the state government has issued directives to renew the contracts of existing gyan sahayaks (teaching assistants). With the new academic year 2026-27 already underway and fresh appointments yet to be made, the commissioner of schools has circulated a notice to all district education officers, instructing them to extend the contracts of gyan sahayaks who served during the previous academic year.
Under the scheme launched in 2023-24, gyan sahayaks are employed on a contract basis for up to 11 months, excluding vacation periods. Their appointments automatically conclude on the last day of the academic year. Consequently, all gyan sahayaks were released at the end of the 2025-26 session, leaving schools without this crucial support at the start of the new term.
The absence of gyan sahayaks began to impact academic activities. To prevent disruptions to students' learning, the government has decided to retain these assistants in service until permanent teachers are appointed or a new recruitment process is completed.
Following the instruction, district administrations have initiated the renewal process. In Ahmedabad, district education officer Rohit Chaudhary has directed school managements to finalize the renewals within two days and submit confirmation.
This decision is expected to provide immediate relief to hundreds of schools grappling with staff shortages and help maintain continuity in classroom teaching.
