Rajasthan’s move to hire teachers on contract faces opposition

A recent decision to revise the pay scales of more than 31,000 contractual workers, which had sought to display sensitivity to the employees’ issues, was taken by the State Government

The Congress government’s move in Rajasthan to appoint 10,000 teachers on a contract basis mainly to fill up vacancies in Mahatma Gandhi English-medium schools, started in 2019, has met with opposition from unemployed youth and teachers’ groups. Those opposed to the decision have demanded that the appointments be made on a permanent basis.

The State government’s latest move follows a recent decision to revise the pay scales of more than 31,000 contractual workers, which had sought to display sensitivity to the employees’ issues. The decision has mainly benefited village panchayat assistants, shikshakarmis and para-teachers.

Following their inclusion in the Rajasthan contractual hiring to Civil Posts Rules, 2022, the employees, whose estimated number was 31,473, would get a salary of ₹18,500 per month after nine years of service and ₹32,300 per month after 18 years of service. The orders were issued last month based on the recommendation of a Cabinet sub-committee headed by Education Minister B.D. Kalla.

While the State government had cited the 2022 Rules for hiring of teachers as well, the Rajasthan Shikshak & Panchayati Raj Karmachari Sangh said on Friday that it would adversely affect a large number of unemployed youth who had obtained qualifications as teachers and were waiting for recruitment to regular posts.

All-Rajasthan Rajya Karmachari Federation’s general secretary Vipin Prakash Sharma said the contractual system for the government school teachers was not in the interest of unemployed youth. He said the State government should give some concession in eligibility if it wanted to go ahead with the appointments.

However, Mr. Kalla said the availability of a large number of teachers would help in ensuring good quality of education in the English-medium schools, which had been opened with the vision to equip the students with the skills to compete in the job market. This would also create employment opportunities for the youth, he said.

The Education Department is at present, formulating guidelines for the recruitment of permanent teachers in Mahatma Gandhi schools for which a separate English teachers’ cadre will be developed. The teachers to be hired on contract for English and mathematics subjects would get a salary of ₹16,900 per month, which will be revised to ₹29,600 per month after completion of nine years of service.