Urdu teacher unions upset over Marathi candidates' appointment in Urdu schools

by Mehboob Inamdar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Nearly 160 Marathi medium teachers will teach all the subjects at Urdu medium schools across the State as the education department

released their appointment letter a few days ago.

This has created disappointment among Urdu teachers' unions.

It may be noted that the Education Department decided to fill 21,687 posts of teachers in primary, secondary and higher secondary schools of local self-governing bodies like Zilla Parishad, Municipal Council and Corporations along with non-minority aided schools, through Pavitra Portal.

Those candidates who qualified Maharashtra Teacher Aptitude and Intelligence Test (Maha-TAIT) in February-March 2023, were allowed to register on the Pavitra portal.

Of the total posts, 6160 posts are for the general category while 2,324 are for EWS candidates.

The officers from the Education Department said that the highest number of posts (18,373) in Marathi medium is being filled.

It decided to fill 1850 posts of Urdu medium. Of them, 690 posts have been filled so far while 1157 are vacant.

There was resentment among Urdu medium teachers as the education department appointed Marathi medium teachers to 260 posts in Urdu medium schools across.

According to sources, the Education Department has given 160 Marathi medium candidates appointment letters for Urdu medium schools. In the appointment letter, it was mentioned that Marathi medium candidates will have to teach all the subjects to Urdu school students.

The sources further said that the Marathi medium candidates were appointed on vacant reserved category posts in Urdu medium.

When contacted, the founder of Akhil Bhartiya Urdu Shikshak Sangh (ABUSS) Sajid Nisar Ahmed said that how can a teacher from one medium teach all the subjects of another medium?

“Already, the total number of Urdu medium posts is less compared to Marathi. So, the Education Department should not disturb the posts of Urdu medium. Our union delegation met Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar and other officers of the Education Department demanding justice with Urdu medium candidates,” he added.

Kazim Shaikh, a member of the Urdu Teacher’s union said that there are 1850 seats of Urdu medium in which 690 teachers have been selected and 1157 seats are vacant. “We demand from the government to convert all reserved categories into open categories as soon as possible before the code of conduct comes into force for Lok Sabha elections,” he added.

Box

Total Urdu posts filled

1. Total posts for the recruitment of 1850

2. Post vacant 1157

3. Post filled 690

--149 filled in ZP

-- 80 appointments in Municipal Councils

--561 posts filled in Municipal Corporations

Box

--Posts to be field without interviews 4,879

--Posts to be filed with interviews 16,799

Box

Medium-wise posts to be filed

Marathi------18,373

English--------- 931

Urdu------------1850

Hindi-------------410

Gujarati-----------12

Kannada-----------88

Tamil--------------08

Bengali------------04

Telugu--------------02