Tripura government's move to appoint non-teaching staff challenged in SC

From a correspondent

Agartala, Sept 16: The Left Front government has suffered a setback when the Supreme Court accepted a petition challenging the State government's move to appoint 12,000 non-teaching staff.

Apart from challenging the objectioble conditions of the recruitment rules, the petitioner also accused the State government for contempt of court.

He said the recruitment rules were prepared with an intension to nullify the effect of an earlier order of the Apex Court that declared the appointment of 10,323 teachers by the State government as illegal for violating the New Education Policy. Their service is supposed to be termited after 31.12.2017. 

After the Court order was passed that declared the appointment of 10,323 teachers as illegal, the State Cabinet created new 12,000 posts of non-teaching staffs like academic councilor, student councilor, library assistant, hostel warden, etc.

Though the posts are non-teaching in ture, the recruitment rules sought three years teaching experience for all these posts. The petitioner said that this condition is totally discrimitory as it suites only those termited teachers, and deprives of the unemployed youth.

The petitioner earlier moved to the Tripura High Court but a division bench rejected it saying the case has no merit. Now the Supreme Court order came as a shock to the State government.

However, the Education Minister said the State government would give reply to the notice served on it but that will not prevent them from issuing appointment letters. "The offer of appointments will be issued as per schedule," the Minister told the reporters.