J’khand minister pitches for quota in govt jobs for govt schools students
› I come from a poor family. So, I understand the problem that government school students face. Those studying in private schools can get big opportunities such as becoming a scientist or an IT professional. But, government school students have limited job options because they mostly belong to poor families . JAGARNATH MAHTO, Human Resource Development minister
RANCHI: Jharkhand Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Jagarnath Mahto on Wednesday pitched an idea of reservation of government jobs for students studying in government schools.
Objective behind the idea is to make government schools lucrative and relevant, the minister said. “Even though the plan is in a nascent stage and nothing has been finalized yet, we are working on this idea. We are discussing it with every stakeholder and taking their views on whether this idea can be translated into reality,” Mahto said over phone.
“I come from a poor family. So, I understand the problem that government school students face. Those studying in private schools have several career options and they can go for big opportunities such as becoming a scientist or an IT professional. But, government school students have limited job options because they mostly belong to poor families of rural areas,” the minister said.
A parent of a private school student spends Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 in a year for their education. “Government officers, employees and ministers send their children to private schools for education. But, they need government jobs,” he said.
The government spends Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 per student every year in government schools, he said. “If they don’t get
government jobs, what is the benefit of spending such huge amounts every year,” the minister said.
Government schools do not get the same attention as private schools. “If this idea is executed, the government schools will able to draw the same attention. We know poor students of rural Jharkhand mainly go to government schools,” Mahto said.
When asked about school infrastructure and quality of teachers in government schools, he said quality of both those things would improve when government schools get attention.
State educationists welcomed the idea but opined that it would be tough to be implement it due to several legalities.
Former pro-V-C of Ranchi University, VP Sharan, said, “The idea, if implemented, will help government schools get their importance back. Everyone would then want to go to government schools. But, it needs to be checked if the Constitution allows implementing such an idea. I believe three to four articles in the Constitution, including the right to equality, might be a hurdle in way of implementing this idea.”