HC asks UP govt to revise list of 65K assistant teachers

Lucknow, March 14 The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the state government to prepare a revised list of 69,000 assistant teachers issued on June 1, 2020 as the authorities concerned committed irregularities in fixing quota for their appointment.

These assistant teachers were selected through the Assistant Teachers Recruitment Examination (ATRE) 2019.

All of them have been appointed and are already discharging their duty for the past two years.

The court also quashed the select list of 6,800 teachers issued by the state government on January 5, 2022.

A single judge bench of Justice Om Prakash Shukla observed, "Apparently, there was no clarity of the score and details of the reserved category candidates, who appeared in the ATRE 2019."

"There had been no endeavour from the state authorities, who are custodian of the records of the ATRE 2019 and would have assisted this court in providing the said records," added the court.

For candidates selected and already discharging their duty for the last two years, the court said, "The candidates already appointed and presently working as assistant teachers in various districts in pursuance to the ATRE 2019 shall continue to work on their post till the state authorities revise the select list and shall not be disturbed, keeping in mind the examination period and the end of education session."

"In the overwhelming facts, wherein apparently the teachers, who have been appointed and have been working for the last more than two years, whether belonging to the reserved or unreserved category cannot be faulted with, as essentially, it is the state authorities, who were under a constitutional duty to implement the provisions of the Reservation Act in its letter and spirit," said the court.

The court also directed the state government to frame a policy for adjusting these teachers who may be removed when the revised list is prepared.

"The reservation limit must not exceed 50 per cent of the total seats," said the court.

As many as 117 petitions were filed in the high court challenging the list.

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