77% of contractual teachers failed to clear examination

Up till now, more than one-third of the teaching capacity of Delhi government schools comprised guest teachers recruited on a contract basis.

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Up till now, more than one-third of the teaching capacity of Delhi government schools comprised guest teachers recruited on a contract basis. (Representational image)

A submission from the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) that 77% of guest teachers in Delhi government schools failed to secure pass marks in examinations for permanent recruitment has come as a shock to the education department.

Up till now, more than one-third of the teaching capacity of Delhi government schools comprised guest teachers recruited on a contract basis. Of the total 66,736 sanctioned teaching posts, 25,000 were filled by guest teachers — many of whom have been teaching for several years — whose contracts ended on February 28. The lack of recruitment of permanent teachers in these schools has been a long-standing problem.

In an affidavit submitted in the Delhi HC, the DSSSB said that between July and November 2018, it conducted exams to fill 9,556 vacancies in these schools, for which there were 7.5 lakh candidates. It also conducted exams for 5,906 vacancies in municipal corporation schools, for which there were 1.15 lakh applicants.

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However, the board observed that the performances of serving guest teachers was “sub-standard” — of 21,135 guest teachers who appeared for various posts, 16,383 failed to get the minimum pass mark.

The numbers are stark in certain subjects. Out of 135 guest teachers who applied against 30 PGT (Math) male vacancies, not a single one scored minimum qualifying marks; while out of 369 who applied against 12 PGT (Math) female vacancies, only three scored the minimum marks. It is also worth noting that a total of only 30 and 29 applicants scored the minimum qualifying marks for respective vacancies.

For the PGT (English) vacancies, only 1 of 732 guest teachers who applied against the 83 female vacancies secured the minimum marks, while 26 out of 248 secured the same against the 73 male vacancies.

A guest teacher who has been working in Delhi government schools on a contractual basis since 2013 said: “We took the exams during peak work season and did not get a single day’s leave to prepare. We have been working for years without being regularised.”

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“The matter will be heard in the court on March 4 and the court will decide whether the contract teaching arrangement can be extended,” said an official in the department.

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