Ad hoc teachers who failed in TET to lose job
Careers of 700 in danger
After jeopardising the career of Shikshan Sevaks (temporary teachers) by not giving them permanent employment, the civic body has now issued a circular, stating that the services of Sevaks who have not cleared the Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) in the last three years will be terminated.
The circular, issued by Education Officer Mahesh Palkar, states that the Shikshan Sevaks who have appeared for the TET will have to submit the passing certificates by November 15, failing which their services will be terminated.
Altogether, 754 Sevaks hailing from different parts of Maharashtra were hired on complete merit basis in June 2013 after an advertisement issued by the civic body. In reference to the government, the advertisement did mention that the Sevaks who joined after 2009 should clear the TET but the duration was not mentioned.
Following an amendment to the Government Resolution (GR) in 2013, the Sevaks were then asked to compulsorily clear the TET to get permanent employment. After appearing for the exam, Sevaks found it very difficult to clear and a mere 1% of all the teachers could see themselves through in three years.
However, Palkar rubbished such claims by saying, “We had mentioned about the TET in the advertisement dated June 10, 2013. We are following the orders of the government and the Sevaks will have to submit the passing certificate by November 15. Also, the overall passing percentage of all the teachers is 4%.”
Another amendment to the GR that came in June 2016 stated that the services of Sevaks who have not cleared the TET in a period of three years will be terminated.
Voicing their concerns, Samajwadi Party corporator Ashraf Azmi said, “They cannot do this to Shikshan Sevaks who have worked on a monthly salary of Rs 6,000 for three years. These Sevaks are not wealthy enough to survive in Mumbai on such low income. Some of them are married and are unable to feed their families because of which getting a permanent job with sufficient salary is the top most priority for them. Sadly, the government is paying no heed to their miseries and is issuing harsh resolutions that hamper the lives of the poor.”
Azmi added that despite being an autonomous body, the corporation was following such insincere resolutions instead of listening to the Sevaks. Now with the civic body reiterating that TET is compulsory, the careers of over 700 Sevaks is at stake.
MCGM circular says the Shikshan Sevaks who have appeared for the TET will have to submit the passing certificates by Nov 15, failing which their services will be terminated.