PRAYAGRAJ, June 24 -- In a major boost to higher education and employment generation ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, one of the biggest recruitment drives for assistant professors in government-aided degree colleges in nearly 20 years is set to begin.

More than 1,600 vacant assistant professor posts in 330 government-aided degree colleges across Uttar Pradesh are proposed to be filled. The Directorate of Higher Education has received vacancy details from colleges and uploaded the information on the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) portal.

Officials said the vacancy details are being verified against posts included in advertisement no. 51, and the final requisition is expected to be sent to the...