Dehradun, Jan. 2 -- School education minister Dhan Singh Rawat said the state government is giving special emphasis to innovation and technology to usher in a new phase of reforms in the education sector, with plans to connect around 1,500 government schools to a virtual classroom network. The minister, in a statement, said all the schools in the state will be linked to the Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), enabling real-time monitoring and access to school data with a single click. Special efforts are also underway to improve the state's Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Performance Grading Index (PGI) ranking, he said. Rawat said a new action plan under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is being prepared to strengthen and expand the state's education system by 2026. "The focus of the action plan will be on improving GER and PGI so that Uttarakhand can achieve a two-digit national ranking," he said, adding that the Vidya Samiksha Kendra will be upgraded and fully integrated with all schools across the state. Officials said the state curriculum prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will be implemented in accordance with NEP 2020 provisions. The revised curriculum places special emphasis on vocational education alongside formal schooling. Officials said to ensure effective implementation, an academic session of 240 days has been fixed, including 200 teaching days, 20 days for examinations and evaluation, and 10 days each for bagless days and co-curricular programmes. Students from Class 11 onwards will have the flexibility to choose subjects based on their interests and future career needs, officials said. "This curriculum has the potential to bring far-reaching changes in the work culture and functioning of schools," Rawat said. The minister said the structure of SCERT and District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) will be reorganised. Service rules will be framed in line with UGC standards, and a separate teacher cadre will be created to strengthen teacher training and academic activities across the state. A concrete plan will also be implemented to improve the state's PGI ranking, with departmental-level training and evaluation of schools. To improve GER, physical infrastructure and human resources in schools will be strengthened in a phased manner, with special focus on girls' education, he added. Rawat announced that more than 6,000 vacant posts in primary and secondary education will be filled in the new year. Recruitment is underway for 1,670 posts of assistant teacher (basic) and assistant teacher (special education) under the primary education department, and 808 lecturer posts under the secondary education department. More than 1,000 posts of assistant teacher (LT) will also be filled in 2026. In addition, recruitment will be carried out for 324 accountant-cum-support staff, 161 special educators, 95 career counsellors, and 18 posts at the Vidya Samiksha Kendra under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. In line with NEP 2020, the state will establish cluster schools. A total of 559 secondary schools and 679 primary schools have been identified to function as cluster schools, which will become operational this year. These schools will be equipped with modern facilities and teachers for all subjects, officials said. Under the Sanskrit education department, one Gurukul system-based school will be established in each district. In addition, residential Ashram-based schools will be opened in backward development blocks of the state, Rawat said....