Guwahati, Feb. 20: Students of environmental science (EVS) in Assam will meet chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday as part of a nationwide call to appoint postgraduate-degree holders of the subject as teachers.

The demand assumes significance as environmental science is now compulsory at the higher secondary level but taught by teachers of other subjects in Assam which is in violation of UGC rules.

Students of the subject from across the country will organise a nationwide call on Wednesday wherein petitions will be submitted to all the state governments.

The Assam Environmental Science Students' Association said it would request the government to fill up vacancies of environment science teachers/experts on a permanent basis and direct all the authorities concerned to appoint only qualified and eligible candidates having specialisation in the subject at school and college levels in Assam.

They will also request introduction of qualified environmental science-degree holders as environment experts in all municipal bodies of the state and introduction of district or block-level environmental officers.

The students' association has requested the people to support the nationwide call.

In a statement, the state coordinator of the association, Queen Sarma, said: "We face challenges to fulfil the objectives of sustainable development goals from 2015 to 2030. We hope everyone will support this great cause as it is for the national interest and Mother Earth. Please support this cause in Assam so that we can be a better and prosperous state in the country. We need your support in protecting our Mother Earth for a better place to live in."

According to the association, a number of environment-oriented career paths are available these days and it is also mandatory according to the guidelines of the state government that every industrial unit/organisation must have at least one qualified environmental science-degree holder as an expert.

In reality, however, there is no such opportunity for environmental science-degree holders either in schools, colleges, governmental organisations and industries or in the private sector.

"As there is no proper government regulatory system to monitor such issues, the guidelines are hardly implemented. Therefore, it is very urgent to consider these issues seriously and introduce qualified environmental science-degree holders as environment experts for all the municipal bodies in the state. There should be induction of district or block-level environmental officers in Assam. It is also necessary to direct all the authorities concerned to appoint only qualified and eligible teachers having specialisation in environmental science in schools and colleges in Assam on permanent basis," Sarma said.