Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Justice Arun R. Pednekar of the Bombay High Court’s Aurangabad bench has recently ordered issuance of a notice to the respondents in a petition challenging the termination of teachers who failed the D.Ed. (Diploma in Education) eligibility examination. The matter will be heard next on October 14.
What is the petition about?
Teachers who had earlier served as Nimshikshak (assistant teachers) in vasti schools were absorbed into Zilla Parishad schools under the Government Resolution (GR) dated March 1, 2014 issued by the School Education and Sports Department.
Although these teachers had completed 10 years of service, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Zilla Parishad passed an order terminating them on the grounds that they had not cleared the D.Ed. eligibility examination.
Challenging this order, petitioner Vijay Sonawane filed a petition before the bench through advocate D. B. Pawar Pathrekar.
The GR had also directed that vasti schools be gradually shut down and the nimshikshaks working there be accommodated in Zilla Parishad schools. Among them, those possessing the required academic qualifications for the post of primary teachers were to be absorbed as such, while those lacking the qualifications were to be appointed as untrained primary teachers.
Accordingly, Dnyaneshwar Aute of Vita (Kannad) and Vijay Sonawane of Chouka (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) were appointed as untrained primary teachers on July 31, 2014. However, after almost 10 years, the petitioners failed to pass the D.Ed. eligibility examination, they were terminated from service.