Activists,schools divided over age row

Nana Kute Patil of Buland Chhawa,an NGO that filed a complaint against the schools said,“There are many teachers with B.Ed degrees who are unemployed,while these employees continue to hold their posts as teachers and principals even after they have passed retirement age. School managements must not allow an over-aged candidate to continue in service.”

Jayant Jain,president of NGO Forum for Fairness in Education,said,“There are many efficient teachers in every school who cannot get the post of principal because of this and retire without promotion. This is unfair.”

The education department is seeking information on ages of principals of other schools,regardless of the board they are affiliated to. Education department officials claim the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (MEPS) (Conditions of Service) Regulation Act,1977,which says their employees must retire at 58,applies to all private schools.

Officials add that as per a 2010 Delhi High Court verdict,“Principal of an unaided minority school must retire at the same age by which the principal of a government school is asked to retire.”

Arundhati Chavan,president of NGO Parents’ Teachers’ Association (PTA) United Forum,said,“The retirement age of private school employees,as per MEPS Act,is 58 years. School management can give them an extension up to 60 years. But they shouldn’t be given an extension after that.”

However,school principals and teachers say it is for the management to decide if a candidate can continue in service even after they cross 60.

“We are an unaided,private, minority school,our school is run by a private trust and we are affiliated to ICSE board and MEPS Act is not applicable to us. The state government is apprised about this. The school management takes a call on these matters,” said Meera Isaac,principal of Cathedral and John Connon School.

Principal of a school in a western suburb said,“Age limit cannot restrict an efficient and experienced candidate from continuing to work.”