In a move to help the agitating guest teachers whose contracts expired on February 28, the Delhi government on Wednesday approved a policy to allow them to work till the age of 60 - like regular teachers. Education Minister Manish Sisodia, while announcing the Aam Aadmi Partly-led government's decision also said that he will go to Lt. Governor Anil Baijal for his nod as he is the head of the Services matters in Delhi. The minister said the conduct rules of these guest teachers will also be same as that of regular teachers.
22,000 contractual teachers, also called guest teachers, in Delhi government schools currently and they had been protesting outside Mr Sisodia's residence since last week after their contracts expired on February 28 and they were not allowed to work.
Mr Sisodia said that out of the 64,000 posts of teachers in Delhi government schools, 58,000 are functional and comprise both regular and guest teachers.
"So, 22,000 of these 58,000 were guest teachers, recruited on the basis of merit from time to time through vacancy notifications during our time and before.
"Before us, there was a rule that these guest teachers were appointed every year. We stopped this practice. We continued the teachers to avoid the hassle they had to face every year," he said.
He said his government protected the guest teachers till they could, but were told that since the Services was with the Central government and teachers and their recruitment also came under it.
Mr Sisodia said that for two years, he had been saying that the guest teachers should be made permanent.
"Suddenly, from February 28, 22,000 guest teachers are out of job. My concern is not only for these teachers but also how can schools can function if, of the total 58,000 teachers, 22,000 are out of service.
With the Cabinet passing the policy, he said that it will apply for all guest teachers, recruited on the basis of merit, he said, adding that since regular teachers can work till the age of 60, this rule will also apply to guest teachers.
On Tuesday, Mr Sisodia also wrote to Mr Baijal on the issue, citing the challenges the schools are facing due to lack of such a large number of teachers at a time when exams are being conducted and preparations for the new session are on.
Mr Sisodia has recently met the representatives of guest teachers who had been protesting. The minister then assured the teachers that Delhi government shall pass the policy as per their demand and do all the needful to help them in the interest of education.
Met the representatives of Guest Teachers who are struggling to save their jobs from policies being implemented by @LtGovDelhi
- Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) March 3, 2019
Delhi Govt shall pass the policy as per their demand and do all the needfull to help them in the intrest of education. pic.twitter.com/O5Pb45bJw0
In another related development yesterday, the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) has informed the Delhi High Court that the performance of guests' teachers, who are working with the Directorate of Education, was "substandard" in the examination conducted to fill the large number of vacancies in government schools, reported Press Trust of India.
The board said that out of 21,135 guest teachers who appeared in the examination, 16,383 candidates "failed to get even minimum passing marks".
The DSSSB, in an affidavit filed in a pending contempt petition by an NGO, said it was making all efforts to provide regular teachers to the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DoE) before the commencement of the next academic session of 2019-20.
"The performance of the serving guest teachers in DoE who appeared in the examination against the vacancies... has been observed to be substandard.
"Out of 21,135 guest teachers appeared in the examination of various post codes..., 16,383 candidates failed to get even minimum passing marks," the board said in its affidavit.
It said keeping in mind these facts, it is for the DoE to take a view on continuation or otherwise of the guest teachers, especially who did not even secure the minimum pass marks in the exam.
(With PTI and IANS inputs)
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