Assam Govt announces free admissions from high school upto PG for academic year '20-'21

The Assam government on Sunday declared that 'all admissions' from Higher secondary level up to Postgraduate level will be made absolutely free for all the students for the academic year 2020-21. This free admission will also be applicable for courses like medical, engineering and polytechnic. Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the decision by the state government will be a major relief to the families of the students amid the Coronavirus crisis.

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"Extremely pleased to share GOA has made ALL admissions - from HS upto PG level including medical, engineering, polytechnic for academic year 2020-21 - absolutely free. Under stress due to COVID-19, this shall be big relief to families. All prospectus will be free," Sarma said in a tweet.

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Sarma further informed that the state government will offer regular pay scale along with all other benefits including service up to 60 years to 2,9701 teachers working under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

"Pleased to share that Govt of Assam has decided to offer regular pay scale along with all other benefits including service upto 60 years to 29701 teachers working under SSA," he said in another tweet.

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COVID-19 cases in Assam

According to the latest data available on the website of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 1846 active cases of coronavirus in the state with 547 cured/migrated/discharged and 4 deaths. 

Cases in India so far

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 7,135 and the number of cases climbed to 2,56,611 in the country after it registered 206 fatalities and a record single-day spike of 9,983 cases till Monday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry. India is the fifth worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The number of active novel coronavirus cases stands at 1,25,381 while 1,24,094 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said.  

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(With inputs from ANI)