Immediately fill up teachers’ vacancies in Delhi schools: HC

Anguished by around 33,000 teachers’ vacancies in MCD and government schools in the capital, the Delhi High Court on Tursday directed the authorities to take “immediate remedial measures”.

“In a country with such a high rate of unemployment how can 33,000 vacancies be not filled up,” Justice Manmohan asked the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB), the Directorate of Education (DoE) and the municipal corporations.

“Keeping in view the excess vacancies, this court is of the view that the DoE, the three MCDs and the DSSSB need to take immediate remedial measures,” the court said.

It asked the director of DSSSB to convene a meeting on April 27 which would be attended by the commissioners of the three municipal corporations, the director of education of the Delhi government and the controller of exams from DSSSB.

The court said a plan of action should be formulated in the meeting on how to fill up the vacancies and directed that the minutes of the meeting be filed before on the next date of hearing, May 16.

It asked the authorities to first focus on filling up the vacancies of trained graduate teachers (TGT) and assistant grade primary school teachers which, according to the Delhi government, which account for 50 per cent of the total vacancies.

It directed the three corporations and the DoE to send requisition for all vacant teaching posts to DSSSB within three weeks.

The court asked the DoE to explain on the next date why teaching staff have been deputed for court work and the reason for the over 400 vacant posts of principals in Delhi government schools.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), meanwhile, told the court it had not received any requisition with regard to vacant principals’ posts.

The directions came on the contempt plea of an NGO, Social Jurist, which has alleged “deliberate and intentional disobedience” by the Delhi government of the high court’s orders to ensure zero vacancy at the commencement of each academic year in schools here.

During the hearing, the court questioned the manner in which guest teachers were being recruited.

The DoE said all guest teachers who are recruited meet the minimum qualifications required for the post.