HC stays regularisation of guest teachers by Delhi govt

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has stayed the process of regularising all guest teachers appointed since 2010 in Delhi government schools, till October 11.

Justice AK Chawla directed the Delhi government to maintain status quo with regard to fresh appointment and promotion of guest teachers as regulars in its schools, after it was informed that the authorities have not complied with the high court's 2001 order.

On Wednesday, the Delhi Cabinet had decided to regularise 15,000 guest teachers appointed since 2010 and a bill in this regard is slated to be tabled before the Delhi Legislative Assembly on October 4, the court noted.

"Here, it is worth noting that ... the order passed by a division bench of this court in 2001 is yet to implemented, as per the affidavit (of Delhi government). Keeping in view the totality of the facts and circumstances, it is therefore directed that till the adjourned date, the respondents (Delhi government) and all others concerned shall maintain status quo and shall not either appoint or promote the guest teachers, who have been appointed from the year 2010 onwards," the court said.

The division bench in its 2001 order had asked the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) to ensure zero vacancy of teachers in schools on the commencement of each academic year.

On Thursday, the Lieutenant Governor's Secretariat wrote to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia saying that withholding the recruitment process for such a long period is bound to have an adverse impact on the studies of students due to paucity of regular teachers.

It may be noted that many representations have been received in this regard to the LG's Secretariat during public hearing.

On August 9, Sisodia had written to Baijal, indicating that the former had instructed the Chief Secretary and asked him to put the recruitment process on hold and to consider the policy of weightage to guest teachers.

He had also asked the Directorate of Education to reformulate the policy of recruitment of teachers based on giving weightage to guest teachers.

The court passed the interim order during the hearing of a contempt plea by NGO Social Jurist, represented through advocate Ashok Aggarwal, seeking a stay on the order of the DSSSB withdrawing a notice on appointment of 8,914 school teachers.

The Delhi government had introduced the DSSSB with the purpose of recruiting capable, competent and highly-skilled individuals by conducting written tests, professional tests and personal interviews.

The NGO has claimed that "unfortunately, the directions have never been complied with, resulting in accumulation of vacancies of teaching posts since 2011. No attempt has been made by the DSSSB for last several years to fill up the posts and provide regular teachers."