Shillong, Sept 11: Over 1,000 posts of teachers in government-run schools which are lying vacant in various government-run lower primary and upper primary schools would be filled up within this year.

The State Cabinet had approved the proposal to increase the upper age limit for teachers’ recruitment in schools and colleges from 27 to 32 with an aim to get qualified teachers and ensure quality education in the state.

For ST candidates, the age limit will be further extended by five years, which fixed the upper age at 37.

Education Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui said that the process of recruitment would start soon, and the target to complete the recruitment process is within December this year.

Those who have completed the Meghalaya Teachers Eligibility Test (MTET) are eligible to apply for the teacher posts.

Rymbui said that the recruitment will be totally based according to the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) norms.

On salary for teachers teaching in SSA-sponsored schools in the state, the Education Minister said that a total of Rs 61.76 crore would be needed in order to be able to pay the salary of over 12,000 teachers teaching in SSA-sponsored schools across the state.

“Apart from Rs 27.66 crore that the state government has to shell out as 10 per cent share for implementing of the SSA scheme, an additional amount of Rs 34.10 crore is also required for paying the salary at Rs 19,000 and Rs 20,000 per month to the teachers of LP and UP schools respectively,” he said.

Rymbui said that the state has to spend this additional amount after the Centre’s decision to limit the salary of teachers of SSA-sponsored schools to just Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.

The Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Ministry of HRD had approved only Rs 10,465.2 lakh for 5,814 lower primary teachers (contractual) at Rs 15,000 per month per teacher, and Rs 16,144.8 lakh for 6,727 upper primary teachers at Rs 20,000 per month per teacher.