‘Fill posts, give us jobs’: Teachers protest delay in govt recruitment

“The eligibility test was last conducted in 2017, and there has been no recruitment since then. We are awaiting jobs that we are qualified for, and demand an immediate recruitment of 55,000 teachers.”

The recruitment process was earlier stayed by the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court. To meet the lack of teachers in zilla parishad schools, the School Education Department has decided to hire retired teachers on a contract basis, until new teachers are recruited. “I have been doing daily wage work for a living for years, and now we are not being recruited despite qualifying the test this year,” said Namdev Wagh from Thane.

“I completed my graduation from Mumbai University and a diploma in Education in 2009, but I am still waiting to get a government job,” Wagh added.

Some representatives met Education Commissioner Suraj Mandhare on Monday afternoon to discuss their demands. “We will recruit 50,000 teachers, but in stages and not in one go,” said Mandhare, citing the time needed for the Aadhar verification process and staffing pattern approval. So far, the Aadhar verification process for 1,75,000 students — out of the total 2 crore — has been completed. “Also, there are some issues with the roster as some of them are missing or not maintained properly. This will take some time,” said the official.

“We will begin the first stage after the roster, and the Aadhar verification is completed.”
Madhuri Leve from Pune said, “I have a Masters degree in English and in Education, but I am teaching at a private school for a meagre salary of Rs 12,000… I want a government job because the pay is better, and there is job security.”