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Bengal

Teachers file RTI applications to determine vacancies in state

Kolkata: School teachers are filing RTI (Right to Information) applications to uncover the number of existing vacancies for assistant teacher posts across the state.

In July, separate RTI applications were submitted by two teachers. Animesh Halder, an assistant teacher at Jhapberia High School and Secretary of the South 24-Parganas District chapter of the Secondary Teachers and Employees Association, filed an application on July 2. Halder sought a district-wise and subject-wise vacancy list for Assistant Teachers in Upper Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary sections in state-run schools. “The vacancy list is very important for several things like transfers, recruitment and counselling for recruitment,” stated Halder.

Another RTI application was submitted by Chandan Garai, Secretary of the All Post Graduate Teachers Welfare Association. Garai sought information on vacancies, including details on how many teachers currently hold honours posts, the number of teachers at the postgraduate level, the number of teachers working in the Higher Secondary level and the sanctioned posts in the HS section, among other details.

Despite filing the applications in July, they still haven’t received the requested information from the state school Education department. Halder expressed his frustration, stating: “The Education department seems to lack information on vacancies in Upper Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary sections. Although I received four replies, none included the requested vacancy information. My application is being shuffled around within the department.”

Garai echoed similar sentiments, noting: “No information in accordance with my RTI application has been provided by the School Education department. The Utsashree and IOMS portals contain all the teachers’ details and schools submit current and vacant post statuses multiple times a year. In such a scenario, the department should have the updated vacancy information.”

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