Teachers in a fix as SDMC revokes order

NEW DELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Tuesday withdrew the order cancelling the appointment of 3,778 primary teachers for schools run by the three municipal corporations. However, ambiguity prevailed over whether the teachers will be asked to join or not.

The newly appointed teachers for around 1,600 municipal schools had to join on Tuesday.

“The public notice dated 14/10/2019 issued by assistant director of education (TRC), vide which the recruitment process of primary teachers was held in abeyance and the appointment letters were cancelled, is hereby withdrawn,” read a SDMC public notice issued by director education SDMC Shirish Sharma on Tuesday.

Whan asked about the joining of the teachers, Sharma refused to speak on the matter.

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had on Monday cancelled the appointment of the teachers after an applicant challenged the results of the municipal teachers’ recruitment exam held Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) in September-october 2018. In the petition, the applicant had said that the exams were held online and in different batches but many questions and their serial numbers were same.

Following the CAT orders, the SDMC, the nodal agency for the recruitment of teachers for the three corporations, issued a public notice saying the recruitment process is “kept in abeyance” and all appointment letters issued “are cancelled”.

The issue rocked the house meeting of the SDMC where Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress councillors criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for showing “laxity” in the recruitment process and “playing” with the future of thousands of aspirants.