4 July : The Chandigarh Administration has advised the contractual teachers sitting on hunger strike to resume their official duties as soon as the schools re-open. The Administration has further clarified that the services of these employees can not be regularized in view of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.
The contractual employees are demanding to regularize their services and their plea has been declined by the Hon’ble Court. The Apex Court allowed the UT Administration to grant only relaxation in age in the new recruitments for these teachers. These employees have been demanding the exemption from the “test” which is being conducted for the recruitment of 536 teachers. As there is no direction in the order of the Apex Court to grant any other exemption, the UT Administration cannot exempt the contractual employees from the written test which is mandatory condition for the recruitment to the post of school teachers as it will invite contempt of Court.
Home-cum-Secretary Education, Ram Niwas clarified that the examination test is only of 10th standard and the contractual teachers should not shy away from appearing in the test as the contractual teachers are highly qualified having graduate, post graduate degrees.
He further informed that the UT Administration has all sympathy for the employees and their family members. However, it is not in a position either to exempt them from this test or to regularize their services. However, the UT Administration has agreed to provide four types of benefits to the contractual employees:-
i) The services of the contractual employees will not be terminated in view of the recruitment of 536 teachers as even after the recruitment more than 400 posts are lying vacant. In view of the family circumstances of the contractual employees, the UT Administration has considered to keep equal number of posts available so that the services of these contractual employees are not terminated.
ii) Secondly, the UT Administration has granted them 5 years age relaxation and is also willing to consider further age relaxation whenever the new advertisements are given for further recruitment so that more and more contractual employees could be recruited against these posts.
iii) Thirdly, the UT Administration has also directed the Selection Committee to give due weightage to the experience of these teachers as per the number of years of service put in by them. They would get benefit in view of the service rendered by them in the interview.
iv) Fourthly, the UT Administration is also considering increasing the contractual amount of these employees so that they do not face economic hardship.
Further the Home Secretary has clarified that beyond this it will not be possible for the UT Administration to grant them any other concession. He has further said that the contractual teachers should not under any circumstance abstain from their official duty as soon as the schools re-open after the summer vacation, otherwise the Administration will be constrained to terminate their services forthwith.