Way cleared for 4,073 guest teachers’ removal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

No fewer than 4,073 guest teachers in Haryana will have to go. For, Justice Amit Rawal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today dismissed their petitions against the show-cause notices issued to them by the state government.

They were served show-cause notices for termination of their services on Friday. Dismissing their pleas, Justice Amit Rawal observed that the petitioners were wasting their time as the High Court and the apex court had already clarified the position against their continuance

On the previous date of hearing, the High Court had asked the state government to relieve the guest teachers before May 11. The order came after the Haryana Education Department told the High Court that it would relieve 4,073 guest teachers working in government schools across the state.

Information to this effect was furnished before the High Court by the Education Department through an affidavit in response to a petition filed against the continuation of guest faculty in government schools of Haryana.

The department claimed in its affidavit that TGTs of mathematics, social studies and Hindi were surplus, compared to the students’ strength in government schools. As such, the department on March 11 sent a proposal to the state government to dispense with the services of 4,073 guest faculty teachers of these subjects.

The matter was brought to the High Court by Virender Singh. Working as a guest faculty, he had approached the High Court against the communication dated January 7 vide which his services were sought to be terminated for being in violation of departmental instructions and policies.

His counsel had added that regular selections had not been made. Taking up the matter, the High Court had initially ordered the maintenance of status quo regarding his services.