Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday felicitated 111 successful candidates of the Post Graduate Teachers (PGT) Examination-2025 conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and handed over their appointment orders.
Addressing the newly appointed teachers at a ceremony organised by the General Administration Department in Itanagar, the Chief Minister urged them to become “agents of educational transformation” and contribute to improving the quality of education in the state.
Khandu also congratulated the APPSC for conducting the recruitment process in a transparent, efficient and time-bound manner.
“Following the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to focus on reforms across every sector, we undertook comprehensive reforms in our recruitment agencies. The Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board was established, while the APPSC was completely restructured by plugging loopholes and strengthening institutional systems. Today, both institutions have become symbols of transparency and merit-based recruitment,” he said.
The Chief Minister noted that women continued to dominate merit-based competitive examinations in the state and expressed satisfaction over their performance.
“It is heartening to see that our daughters are consistently excelling in competitive examinations. Whether at home, in society or in public service, women in Arunachal Pradesh are leading from the front. The future of Arunachal is undoubtedly in safe hands,” he said.
Highlighting the potential of Arunachal Pradesh’s youth, Khandu said the state had exceptional talent not only in academics but also in sports, music, performing arts and several other fields.
Referring to recent sporting achievements, he said Arunachal Pradesh, once among the lowest-performing states in the country, had emerged as the second-best performing state in the Northeast in the National Games.
The Chief Minister said the state’s progress had been made possible through the collective efforts of elected representatives, civil servants, technocrats, Panchayati Raj Institutions, community-based organisations and citizens.
“I firmly believe in teamwork. Development cannot happen in silos. Every stakeholder has contributed to Arunachal’s progress, and together we must continue this journey,” he said.
Welcoming the recruits into government service, Khandu said education remained the strongest foundation of a progressive society. He acknowledged that while the number of schools had increased substantially after statehood and the implementation of the Right to Education Act, inadequate planning over the years had affected educational quality.
“Expansion without proper planning diluted quality. Our focus today is not merely on increasing the number of schools but on ensuring quality education through better infrastructure, adequate manpower and improved learning outcomes,” he said.
The Chief Minister highlighted the government’s flagship Mission Shikshit Arunachal-2029 as the roadmap for comprehensive educational reform.
According to him, more than 600 schools have already been rationalised under the mission, and district-wise consultations with stakeholders have been completed to identify additional schools for merger and consolidation.
“The roadmap is now very clear. We are moving towards a system of well-equipped model schools with quality infrastructure, adequate teachers, hostel facilities wherever required and an environment that promotes healthy academic competition,” he said.
Khandu explained that consolidating schools would enable the government to provide better infrastructure, improved teaching resources and adequate support staff, thereby strengthening the overall learning environment.
Calling upon the new teachers to become mentors and motivators, he urged them to inspire students to dream big and prepare themselves for a rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
“You are not merely teachers; you are guides and role models. Along with imparting knowledge, your responsibility is to motivate students to realise their potential and prepare them for future challenges,” he said.
The Chief Minister also referred to the state government’s scholarship programme for students admitted to the world’s top 150 universities under the QS World University Rankings. He said the government bears nearly 70 to 75 per cent of educational expenses for eligible students pursuing technical disciplines under various scholarship categories.
“Today, many students from Arunachal Pradesh are pursuing higher education in some of the world’s finest universities. They will return with global knowledge, skills and exposure that will greatly benefit our State,” he said.
Describing Arunachal Pradesh as one of the country’s most resource-rich states, Khandu said opportunities existed across hydropower, agriculture, tourism, mining and allied sectors.
“We are fortunate to have been born in such a blessed State. The opportunities before us are limitless. If each one of us performs our assigned responsibilities with sincerity and dedication, no one can stop Arunachal Pradesh from becoming one of India’s leading States,” he said.
A total of 5,774 candidates had applied online for the examination. Of them, 5,726 appeared in the preliminary examination, 1,356 qualified for the mains, 337 reached the interview stage, and 131 were finally selected.
The APPSC had issued the advertisement on August 10, 2025. The preliminary examination was held on November 2, 2025, the main examination on February 11 and 12, 2026, and the viva-voce between May 18 and May 28, 2026.